Slytherin Beauty
by FallenMystery
Summary: AU What if Lily Evans was a Slytherin? Would James still fall for her? Would she still fall for the messyhaired Gryffindor who lived to taunt her? And what would Voldemort think of it all? LJ hate and love
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: NO.

AU—what if Lily Evans was a Slytherin? Would our beloved Gryffie, James Potter, still fall for her? Well, we'll have to see, won't we?

_SEPTEMBER 1ST L & J'S FIRST YEAR_

Lily Evans looked coolly around her. The other first years were pale and sweating. She sneered at them, brushing her silken red hair behind her ears. The only person who didn't look nervous was the Potter kid. But he was a Gryffindor, he had to be.

She watched, bored, as the students were called up to the stool. Lily yawned as the first Gryffie was named, earning glares from nearby Gryffindors.

"Evans, Lily."

Lily strutted up to the stool, letting everyone see how confidant she was. A couple of Gryffies snorted. The hat was placed on her head.

:Muggleborn, eh? Taste for trouble. Ambitious, definitely. Arrogant, if I do say so myself. Sly, yet cunning. A sharp tongue and a sharper mind. You like revenge. A definite Slytherin. Yes, Slytherin will suit you quite well.:

"SLYTHERIN!"

Lily rolled her eyes and smirked. Of course she was a Slytherin; it _was_ the most sophisticated house. Only the best made it in.

She gracefully sat down, noticing she was the only Slytherin girl sorted so far. Next to her was a cute first year. He had light blue eyes and dusty-brown hair.

"Jay Playa."

"Lily Evans."

"Muggleborn?"

"Unfortunately."

Jay sniffed, which seemed to express his opinions of Muggleborns.

A girl with black hair and blue eyes so dark as to almost be amethyst sat down across from Lily.

"Shawn Trace."

"Lily Evans."

"Jay Playa."

The girl giggled. "Are you?"

"Am I what?" asked Jay, confused.

"A player," clarified Lily.

Jay rolled his eyes. "Very original."

"I try to be," said Shawn.

"Are you a pureblood?" Lily asked Shawn.

"As far as my lineage can be traced and farther," she said proudly. "You?"

"I had the distinct unfortune of being Muggleborn."

"Pity," said Jay. "Because you make a really good pureblood."

"You even _sound_ like a pureblood," said Shawn.

"Well, when I found out I was a witch, I immediately went to Diagon Alley. There I met a pureblood Slytherin, Lucious Malfoy. He's a year above us. He taught me to be pureblooded enough to fool anyone but the purebloods."

"Would have fooled me, except for the surname," admitted Jay.

"That's the point."

Food appeared, and talk was temporarily stalled. Lily looked around as she ate, noting the new students. There were three girls sorted into Slytherin besides herself and Shawn. Lissa Kry was a pug-nosed blonde with muddy brown eyes. Kristy Sea had VERY fake blonde hair and vacant blue eyes. Trista Rell had dark brown hair and sharp gray eyes. Lily could tell that Trista, Shawn, and herself were the only ones with brains.

There were four dudes besides Jay. Evan Rosier had dark brown hair and shifty light green eyes. Ty Koom was the cutie with blonde-brown hair and honey eyes. Dan Mik sported shockingly white-blonde hair and ice-blue eyes. George Kurius made light brown hair and hazel eyes… icky, to say the least. And last but not least was Steph Erund with dark blonde hair and brown-black eyes.

"Did you hear that that hottie, Sirius Black, was like totally sorted into Gryffindor?" asked Kristy. Her voice was high, ditzy, and overall annoying.

"Oh my god, like NO way!" responded Lissa in much the same voice. :author twitches:

Trista, Shawn, and Lily exchanged looks. "How could anyone have missed it with Bellatrix screaming like she was?" whispered Trista just loud enough for Shawn and Lily to hear. They snorted.

So the three girls talked, and the two ditzes were exchanging 'like omg's', and the boys discussed 'MANLY' things like cologne (coughperfumecough :all guys glare at Lily: ) and Quidditch (coughballetcough :all guys glare at Shawn: ). Suddenly, an idea hit Lily. _I could control them,_she realized. _I could have every last one of them eating out of the palm of my hand. They're easily manipulated, even old Lucious. Wouldn't that be something? All the purebloods being controlled by a mere Muggleborn._ Evil laughter rang through Lily's head. The more she pondered the idea, the more she wanted it to happen. And Lily Evans always got what she wanted.


	2. L vs J

Disclaimer: Wrong name.

_NOVEMBER 3RD SECOND YEAR_

James snorted in disgust as he looked over to see Lily Evans and her cronies. Well, they were actually more like slaves. Except for Trace, Rell, and Playa. They were more like sidekicks.

The thing was, Lily Evans had the entire Slytherin house wrapped around her little finger. Sirius looked to where James was looking and snorted as well.

"She's so… so… arrogant!" said James. "Struts around like she owns the entire bloody world!"

"Hypocrite," muttered Remus. James glared at him.

"Hey Remus, will you help me with my Charms homework?"

"It's Sirius's turn."

"Sirius?"

"I don't feel like it."

"I'll help you with your Transfiguration."

"Already did it."

"Bloody prat. Please Remus?"

"I don't understand how you can be so brilliant in all of your other classes, and suck so badly at Charms."

"Me neither. So will you please help me?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"It's Sirius's turn."

"BLOODY HELL!"

"That's one way to put it," said Sirius, who was laying flat out so his head was tilted in a way that made him look at the world upside down. "You know," he observed. "Despite the fact that she's a Slytherin, Evans is kinda hott."

James looked at him with his mouth hanging open. "Are you drunk?" he asked.

"I don't think so…"

"High?"

"Not today."

"Blind?"

Sirius blinked. "Nope."

"Psychotic?"

"That's the one," said Remus. Sirius mock-glared at him.

"They do say Blacks are mad," James mused. "Now who's going to help me with my Charms?"

Lily sighed, bored. It had been sadly easy to gain complete control, and now that she had it, she wanted more.

Twirling, her wand, she spotted Potter's gang. Gryffindors were so annoying. And that Black. What a disgrace. Bella and Cissy (Bellatrix and Narcissa) had been upset for weeks.

Lily turned Black's hair green and Potter's silver, then cast a charm on each so they both had a black lily tattooed on their foreheads. Neither seemed to notice, so Lily left, her quietly laughing friends behind her.

When they got inside, Shawn, Trista, Jay, Bella, and Cissy burst out laughing. The others laughed softly, slightly confused. Slytherins were so easily pleased.

"Evan!" snapped Lily. The green eyed boy appeared in front of her. "Go get me a Hufflepuff who's completely in love with Potter." He left. A couple of minutes later, he returned with a starry-eyed blonde. "What took you so long?"

"I couldn't get her to shut up about P-O-T-T-E-R."

"Potter?" Lily asked in disgust. At the mention of the name, the girl broke out into continuous, high-pitched babble. Lily winced.

"See what I mean?"

"Yes. SHUT UP!" Lily screamed. Wide-eyed, the girl stopped talking. Someone sighed in relief. "Now listen _very_ carefully," she said, as if speaking to a child. "I need _you_ (she pointed at the girl) to go tell _Potter_ (she pointed out the window) that you like his _hair_. Got that? Tell _Potter_ (again, she pointed out the window) that you like his _hair._ Can you do that for me?" still wide-eyed, the girl nodded. "Go do it." The girl scurried off. "I hate Hufflepuffs."

Lily looked out a window. She saw the girl run up to Potter and stammer out the message. In automatic response, he ran a hand through his hair. All of the Slytherins laughed as great tufts of silver hair fell out. The Hufflepuff fainted.

Lily rolled her eyes as Potter and Black realized that they not only had unnatural colored hair, but that it was falling out.

They both looked rather freaked. Then their friend pointed out the black lily on their foreheads.

"**_EVANS!_**" bellowed Potter. Black seemed on the verge of fainting. Lily snorted and headed off to the Slytherin common room.

James and Sirius were walking out of the Hospital wing, perfectly normal.

"Evans is so dead," said Sirius.

"More than dead."

"We have to prank her. Seriously."

"Not just any prank though. The mother of all pranks," said James evilly. And the scheming began. MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Lily woke up, aware that something was moving in her bed. She looked down to see that her bed was full of—

"SNAKES!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, jumping out of her bed. Her scream woke the other girls, who screamed upon finding their beds full of snakes as well. As each girl hit the floor, they slipped on the chocolate syrup there. "It's a Small World After All" began playing. As the girls stood back up, chocolate pudding poured down on them. Lily screamed as loud and long as she could. People in America swear to this very day that they heard it.

She heard yells from the boys' dormitory as her scream woke them to similar fates. Then whipped cream sprayed down, coating the sugary Slytherins. Of course, caramel sauce followed, then the nuts. And finally, a cherry landed on Lily's head.

The girls raced down to the common room. Sure enough, shining in golden and scarlet letters in the middle of the room was 'To Make You Sweeter Than You Already Are, Flower'. Underneath the words, a gold sword crossed with a scarlet wand—James Potter's signature sign.

"**_PPPPPPPPOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOTTTTTTTTTTTTTEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!"_**

The Slytherins were gathering in the common room, all of them in basically the same state. There were angry murmurs at the sight of the Marauder's signature.

"This. Means. War." Sounds of agreement ran throughout the angry, sticky, crowd.


	3. Sexy Gods and Prank Masters

Disclaimer: Not rich.

_DECEMBER 25 SECOND YEAR_

Lily woke, cautious. One learned to expect the unexpected when one was at pranking war with the Marauders. Well, half of the Marauders, anyway. Yes, it was Christmas, no, the Marauders were not at Hogwarts, but the Marauders always find a way to prank those who wish not to be disturbed. So only Trista and Lily graced the Slytherin common room on Christmas morning.

And when I say cautious, I mean _cautious_. She sat up slowly, and carefully pulled back her bed hangings. Before setting foot on the ground, she dropped a book, just in case. Finally, she stood slowly, glancing around the ceiling. Her walk was more like a mince, as she carefully trod towards the door. Lily opened, the door, and jumped back. Nothing?

So Lily resigned to opening her presents. Being the Slytherin Princess, she had a LOT of gifts. Presents from friends, wannabe friends, admirers, followers, and random people who wanted to be on her good side so maybe she would stop hexing them. Maybe.

Lily came to a present wrapped in shiny black paper. She raised an eyebrow. Sirius had taught her long ago (when they were friends :BEFORE JAMES: ) not to except an anonymous gift.

So she unwrapped the present to reveal a wooden box, which she turned over. On the underside, Lily tapped her wand, burning a black lily into the wood.

Grinning evilly, she waved her wand, wrapping the box in gold paper. She grabbed a piece of parchment and scribbled a note in emerald green ink, then sent her owl out with the box.

"Merry Christmas, Potter."

"Wakey, wakey, Jamesie!" shouted Sirius, bouncing on James's bed.

"Geroff!" grumbled James, turning over. "You Blacks are mad."

"No, just me," said Sirius cheerfully.

A while later, when Remus and their new friend Peter had been woken up, and all of the presents unwrapped, James noticed a tapping sound. Sirius opened a window, and in flew a gorgeous eagle owl. It dropped a package and a note, hooted reprimandingly, and left.

James looked at the package, confused. Remus opened the letter, snorted, then read it in a dramatically loud voice.

"_Merry Christmas baby! I promised you something special to pay back for that snogging session on the astronomy tower, didn't I? It's something that just made your name jump to my mind. Hope to see you soon._

_Yours forever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever!_

_Red."_

James glared at Remus's reenactment, and froze when the wrapping paper revealed a wooden box,

"What the bloody—" began Remus. Peter reached out and pulled off the lid.

"NOOOOOO!" shouted James and Sirius in unison.

A soundless explosion rocked the room, and all of the Marauders were thrown onto their backs by an invisible wind (duh, lol), where full body binds were placed on them. Sirius and James winced as they heard their own laughter, their own voices begin the recording as sand began piling on the boys' motionless bodies.

"Hey Evans," came James's voice.

"Don't forget Rell," interjected Sirius.

"Hi Rell. You two are probably getting worried about this sand right now, no?"

"Well," again, Sirius. "There's only one way to keep from being buried alive."

"You have to admit that James Potter—"

"—and Sirius Black—"

"—are sexy gods and prank masters."

"I dunno James, I think they might suffocate…"

"That's not funny, Sirius. Anyway girls, if we see you again, we will officially be sexy gods and prank masters!"

"Um, James?" continued Sirius, obviously thinking the recording had stopped.

"Yeah?"

"Are we sure we wanna do this? I mean, Evans and Rell _are_ kinda hott…"

"You sick bastard! Oh crap, I think it's still recording…"

"Are you serious?"

"No, you are."

"Oh, okay."

"I can't believe you said that about Evans. I mean, what kind of si—"

The recording cut off James's disgusted voice. The body bind was undone on their mouths, and all four boys began shouting: "JAMES POTTER AND SIRIUS BLACK ARE SEXY GODS AND PRANK MASTERS!"

The sand stopped piling, and the body binds disappeared, leaving the four boys free to crawl out of the small mountains.

"JAMES! SIRIUS!" bellowed Remus.

"Um, oops?" James turned the box over and saw the black lily he was becoming very familiar with.

"That girl's mad," said Sirius.

"She's a Slytherin," James noted, as if that explained it all.

"You guys are the ones who sent her the prank," Remus reminded them. James and Sirius glared. Peter was still trying to dig his way out of the sand.

"So? She deserved it!"

"No more than you did," said Remus.

"She deserved it more," insisted James. "She _is_ a Slytherin!"

Remus rolled his eyes, muttering something that sounded like 'just snog her and get it over with!'

Fortunately for Remus, James didn't hear. Or else our favorite werewolf would be very extinct. Like very, VERY extinct.

"Where's Peter?"


	4. Hiding the Truth

Disclaimer: Not famous, either.

_SEPTEMBER 1ST  THIRD YEAR_

Lily waited nervously for the train. She fidgeted, trying to keep her bruises from sight. She hadn't been able to apply enough coverup to her black eye. Of course, she had a story ready to tell the school's healer. Lily Evans always had a story. She fell down the stairs. It wasn't a lie, either. She _had_ fallen down the stairs. Of course, her stepfather had helped her fall.

Jay slung an arm over her shoulders, and Lily had to bite her lip to keep from crying out. She tried to turn her face away, but her friend caught sight of her eye.

"Holy crap Lily! What the hell happened to you!"

"I-I fell down the stairs," she muttered.

He held her at arm's length and looked at her, noting the bruises that she hadn't been able to cover up.

"I'll bet you did. The stairs busted your lip, blackened your eye, and overall beat you up all in one go, huh?"

"Look, Jay, I fell down the stairs, okay?"

"Nokay. Lily, I always wondered why you, a muggleborn, seemed to hate muggles so much. Now I know why."

"Jay, I'd really like no one to know about this."

"People will know, Lily, not everyone is as stupid as you'd like them to be."

"You never know…" Jay gave her a look.

"Hey!" said Shawn, appearing out of nowhere. "Holy shit Lils, where'd you get the shiner?" good old annoyingly blunt Shawn.

"Fell down the stairs."

"Like hell you did! Unless your stairs have fists, of course."

They found a compartment and piled in.

"I don't want to talk about it," murmured Lily.

Trista pulled her trunk in. "Hi guys! Oh my god, I mussed you all _so_ much! Uh, Lily? Did you know you have a black eye?"

"Yeah," said Lily, not bothering to offer an explanation.

"So…" said Jay.

Evan and Ty pulled their trunks in.

"Good summer?" asked Evan.

"Shawn, Trista, and Jay nodded.

"The best," said Lily sarcastically. She turned her face away from the window. The boys gaped.

"Um, Lily? What happened?" asked Ty.

"No idea what you're talking about."

"Well," said Evan. "You're all bruised up and stuff."

"No I'm not. It must be a trick of the light."

"It is not! Lily, what happened?"

"Alright, I fell down the stairs."

"Did not."

"Did too."

"Did not."

"Did too."

"Did not."

"Did too."

"Did not."

"Did too."

"Did not."

"Did too."

"Did not."

"Did too."

"Did not."

"Did too."

"Did not."

"Look, I did if I say I did, alright?" Lily snapped.

Her friends all glared at her.

"Okay, so who helped you fall?" asked Ty. If looks could kill, he'd be six feet under and pushing up daisies two feet high in the Hogwarts in the sky. "Look, we're your friends, why cant you tell us?"

"Looks like little Evans is ashamed that she isn't on top of something for a change," said a drawling voice at the door. :all Slytherins turn to face door. Door, Shawn, door, NOT floor: And of course, guess who was standing in the doorway. If you guessed Pettigrew, you are absolutely incorrect! Because our dear Jamesie was standing there!

:James looks at author.: "Why do you keep doing that?"

:author gives him cutely confused look. "Doing what?" innocent look.:

"Making people call me Jamesie?"

: "Because it pisses you off.:

"I'll go on strike if you don't stop it!"

:snorts "You can't go on strike; I control you.":Lily makes popcorn:

"Damn. Well, I'll—I'll… I'll get killed by Voldemort! That's what I'll do!"

: "You _do_ get killed by Voldemort. As in, in the future, you're dead, so I had to come back in time to use your character.":

"Oh, okay. I guess we can resume, then. Where were we?"

:Lily chucks the bowl of popcorn out the window:

"You were pissing me off, so I was about to start screaming at you."

"Oh, yeah. Right."

"I'm not _ashamed_, as you so kindly put it, Potter," Lily spat. "If you had any idea…"

"So please, enlighten me," said James sarcastically, folding his arms across his chest.

Lily opened her mouth, then snapped it shut. The evil git had almost made her admit to it!

"No, I don't have to tell you anything."

"I knew it."

"You don't know anything."

James smirked triumphantly. "Some Hufflepuff probably beat you up."

Lily snapped like a twig. "WELL I'M PRETTY EFFING SURE MY STEPFATHER WASN'T A HUFFLEPUFF, POTTER! HOLY SHIT I CAN'T BELIEVE I JUST SAID THAT!" she screamed.

All occupants of the compartment except James were gaping at her. "Satisfied?" she asked, picking up her trunk and shoving past him.

In a huff, Lily found a compartment and evicted its residents, who literally ran out, terrified.

_Why does he get to me like that? He pisses me off so much I wind up telling him what he wants to know. I hate that! He knows exactly how to get me exactly what he wants to hear. It's like he's a bloody mind reader!_

All of a sudden, Lily heard Jay's voice, as if he were right next to her, speaking softly into her ear.

"How does Potter do that? For twenty minutes, we try to get this out of her, and it takes _him_ twenty seconds! What the bloody hell is up with that? Personally, if he wasn't a Gryffindor, I'd get the girls to set them up. (Lily made a mental not to kill Jay for that later) He knows where her pressure points are, and he knows how far he can push her without dying. It's like he can read her mind or something."

Lily was confused. How could she hear Jay if he was at the other end of the train? She looked suspiciously around. At least she wasn't the only one who pondered how Potter could get to her like that. She'd have to ask Jay about that later. Like after she killed him and resurrected him.


	5. Shawn's Mistake

Disclaimer: Not brilliant.

_JANUARY 13  FOURTH YEAR_

Lily found Shawn, Jay, and Evan sitting in their normal spots in the common room. She sat down next to them, trying to look normal. She kept hearing people's voices, as if they were sitting right next to her. But she'd look up, only to find herself alone. Can you say 'schizophrenic'.

"Hey Shawn," said Evan. "What's up with you? You haven't been dating much lately." It was a random, plain old conversation starter. But Shawn panicked.

"I-I've been dating…" she said nervously.

"Yeah," said Jay. "But normally, you're snogging with a different guy every night. I've noticed you've been doing a lot less snogging, a lot more sneaking off when you think we're not paying attention.

Lily's own attention was caught. She looked at Shawn curiously. And heard Shawn's voice in her head, though her lips didn't move.

"I'm a very dead Slytherin if they find out I'm snogging Sirius Black."

"You're snogging _Sirius Black_!" yelled Lily, startled.

"WHAT!" yelled both the guys.

Shawn's jaw dropped. "How could you know that?"

"You ARE?" shouted Jay.

"Uh, you… you _thought_ it, didn't you?" asked Lily.

"Thought _what_?" asked Shawn, MORE than a little freaked out.

"I think your exact phrasing was 'I'm a very dead Slytherin if they find out I'm snogging Sirius Black."

"How the hell could you know that if she _thought_ it?" asked Evan, interested.

"I have no sodding clue."

"You can read minds," Jay mused. Shawn was glancing around nervously, looking for a good escape route while they weren't paying attention to her.

"Which means you need to have a visit with the old crackpot," said Evan, grinning.

"Dumbledore," said Lily, shuddering.

"I'll take you," said Jay. They left together, Jay practically dragging his friend.

"So. You're really dating Sirius Black?" asked Evan.

A/N: I'm SORRY! That's like the shortest chappie I've ever written! Sorry?


	6. Oh, NO WAY

Disclaimer: FANfiction.

_STILL JANUARY 13  STILL FOURTH YEAR_

Lily glared at Jay as they stood in front of Dumbledore. Light blue eyes twinkled at her over half-moon spectacles. For some reason, this infuriated the girl.

"Uh, Professor Dumbledore," began Jay awkwardly.

"I see Lily has something she needs to discuss with me," said the old dude. "You are excused, Mr. Playa."

Jay gave Lily an apologetic look and departed.

"Well, sir, it's just… well, I'm not exactly sure how to put it, because it seems rather presumptuous. I know it's a rare talent. A _really_ rare talent. But I don't know what else to call it. I think I can read minds."

"A distinct possibility. What am I thinking this very second?"

"That you have some other student who can also read minds, and you are going to have him teach me to control my supposed abilities. And you really want to own a phoenix."

"Very good, but you missed the fact that I would like some chocolate pudding."

Lily rolled her eyes. "How dare I?" she muttered. The old man chuckled.

"I'll have him come up here right now, actually."

"Goodie."

A few minutes later, the door opened, and Lily turned to see her new teacher. And what she saw caused her to jump up.

"YOU SODDING GIT! YOU'VE BEEN PLAYING ME! GETTING ME TO SAY WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR! YOU'RE SO DEAD!" Lily lunged at James, who caught her and pinned her arms to her sides with his own. She was trying to kill him, and he was effectively stopping her. They both played Quidditch, but James was a lot bigger than Lily. Finally, she settled down, and he deposited her in a chair.

"You called sir?" asked James, panting a bit.

"Yes, actually. There's another student with your abilities."

"Really?" asked James, interested.

"Yes, I'd like you to give Miss Evans lessons."

"EVANS! No way in hell! No disrespect meant, professor."

"It will get you both out of History of Magic…" he tempted.

Lily and James exchanged looks. Lily caught James's thoughts.

_Well Evans, anything is better than History of Magic."_

She nodded in agreement.

"All right, professor. I guess we don't have a choice. Freaky mind reading lessons, here we come."

Dumbledore smiled.

Later that night, under the safety of his invisibility cloak, James was practically tearing apart the restricted section of the library. He was looking for a particular book. He knew not the author, nor the title, nor even if such a book existed in the school. He knew only the subject. Animagi.


	7. Dealing with a Marauder

Disclaimer: Dejavu.

_JANUARY 14  FOURTH YEAR_

Lily sat down in HoM, but didn't unpack her things, ignoring the questioning looks of her friends. She saw Potter's friends looking at him much the same way. Professor Binns nodded his head. Lily stood, picked up her bag, and left. She waited outside the room for James, who discreetly followed a few minutes later.

_Library?_ She thought.

**_Yeah._ **Was his return.

Once there, they sat down at a table as far apart as possible.

"All right Evans," said James. "This is how this is going to work. We're going to strengthen your abilities so you can pick something up from someone's memory or mind by choice. Right now, I could look at your memory of the first time you fell off your broomstick if I wanted. Later, I'll teach you how to keep people from doing that. But there's only one way to strengthen your mind. Practice. In all these lessons, neither of us will speak a single word. Got it?"

_Who EVER said I fell off of my broomstick?_

_**Good. So, you understand pretty well how to pick up a specific person's thoughts, yes?**_

_Yes. But sometimes I hear things without trying to. Okay, so a LOT of the time._

_**That's natural for a beginner.**_

_So who taught you?_

_**Dumbledore.**_

_Why couldn't he teach me!_

_**He probably did this in attempt to make us get along.**_

_Why would he care whether or not we got along?_

_**Probably because we're most likely to be Heads in seventh year.**_

_Did he say something about it?_

_**No, but we DO have top grades.**_

_Maybe._

_**You know, you're not as awful as you seem.**_

_I'm the Slytherin Princess, what did you expect?_

_**I don't know. I just figured you'd STILL be terrible.**_

_Tell anyone and I'll hex you into the next millennium._

_**Are you bipolar?**_

_Um, no. Are you?_

_**Yes.**_

_Really?_

_**No.**_

Lily rolled her eyes. _So typical of a Marauder. So, what were you looking for in the restricted section last night?_

**_What makes you think I was in the restricted section last night?_**

_Just caught a random thought, is all. So what were you looking for?_

_**Nothing.**_

_Fine. _Lily snatched away the book that was half sticking out of his bag before he could move. _I'm Slytherin Seeker for a reason. Animagi?_ She asked as the took it from her hands. _You're studying to become an Animagus?_ She frowned thoughtfully as James glanced around nervously. _One of the students is a werewolf, you know. _She continued vaguely. _My guess is that you made friends with this student, and he or she eventually told you. So you and your little friends have decided to become Animagi to keep this individual company. _

_**I guess you ARE top of our class for a reason.**_

_There's a trick to it, you know, becoming an Animagus. I found an old diary of a Ravenclaw who did it. She wrote down the entire process in detail._ James looked at her hopefully. _I'll let you use it if you include me. _She could see him debating with himself. He and the others fight their way through, or get the Slytherin Princess's help and cut the time in half.

Alright. But if you betray us, so help me… 

_Yeah, yeah, I know. And if you let it be known that I so much as ever came within fifty feet of you other than to hex you, you're dead._

_**Deal.**_


	8. More Slytherins Goodie

Disclaimer:hysterical laughter:

_FEBRUARY 12  FOURTH YEAR_

"Lucious," Lily purred, circling the slightly sweating fifth year. "You're keeping something from me. You've been very secretive since you started dating Cissy.

"Really?"

"Yes Lucious. Tell me what I want to know, or I'll find it out for myself. And then there will be consequences," she continued in a silky, evil voice.

Lucious swallowed nervously. Lily always did find things out. The girl frankly unnerved him.

"I'm not h-hiding anything."

"Tisk, tisk. Would you look at Cissy?" she said, nodding her head towards Narcissa. "She's so happy. Wouldn't it be a shame if something were to happen to change that?"

"Are you threatening me?"

"Now, Lucious. Threat is not a common word among friends. Are we friends?"

"We're not enemies," said Lucious nervously. Bad things happened to Lily Evans' enemies. He, for one, did not want to be included on the casualty list.

"Well then, Lucious, tell me what is on your mind."

"I've just been thinking, Lily, that maybe you are not right for the role of Slytherin Princess."

"Oh," said Lily, her voice burning with ice. "And why is that?"

"Well, your bloodlines being what they are and all, you don't exactly fit the criteria for the role."

"Oh really? Well, look at me Lucious. Crucio."

Lucious flinched, but Lily had too much class to actually curse him. It was merely a word. A warning. Because no one messes with Lily Evans.

Except, perhaps, James Potter. He knew exactly how far he could push Lily Evans. But, perchance one studied Lily Evans. They would find that Lily Evans also knew exactly how far she could push James Potter.

"Think on it, Lucious," said the pretty redhead. Anyone but Lucious would be able to tell that her voice said 'And every time I say 'hello Lucious' I'm mentally stabbing you in the eye with a hot french fry'.

"Where're you going?" snapped the pale boy.

"Away from you and your pureblood poison." She said. Which was code for 'away to plot your downfall'.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Ah, Lucious dear, I'm sure you know exactly what it means. Good day my little pureblood."

(A/N: Ooh, it seems like Lily's backwardly prejudice. Lynch the purebloods!)

Lily stalked off to the library where she was plotting what she was going to do to Lucious when she stopped.

"What am I doing?" she asked herself. "He's the prince of Slytherin. If I brought him down, I might be overruled and dethroned. I can't risk that. Before I take Lucious I have to lower him. Great, now I'm talking to myself. Lovely. What next, hearing voices? Oh no, wait, I can already do that."

"You know, Evans," drawled a voice. "Talking to yourself is the first sign of insanity."

Lily looked up at Sirius, hiding a grin. "What's the second?"

"When you get an answer."

This time Lily grinned. "Sit down, Mr. Black. What can I do for you?"

Sirius sat, looking Lily over. "I think it isn't what you can do for me, but what I can do for you. I understand you have it out for a certain Mr. Malfoy."

"And wherever did you here that?"

"From a source that never steers me wrong," said Sirius vaguely.

"Tell Potter to stay out of my mind or he's gonna get slapped like the bitch he his."

"Ma'am yes Ma'am!"

"Stop toying, Black."

"But I'm a child, I like toys!"

Lily rolled her eyes. "Alright, then, what were you thinking?"

Sirius grinned. "I'm thinking the usual. Pranks, torment, overall disgrace."

She shook her head. "No, that isn't going to be enough to crack this one. We need something serious. Something Sirius. Something closer to home."

The two sat, thinking. Lily studied Sirius. This one was okay. He _was_ Shawn's occasional snogging partner, after all. He and Lily had a mutual agreement as pranksters to help each other. So now they sat, thinking.

"All right," said Sirius. "How 'bout the entire Slytherin House shuns him, and the Marauders declare themselves too good to prank him?"

"Perfect. But how do I make everyone shun him?"

"Lily, dear, you're the freakin Slytherin Princess. They'll do whatever you say."

"Yes, but he's the Slytherin Prince."

"Oh well, they like you more."

"What makes you say that?"

Sirius looked around at all the guys whose work was stalled as they stared at Lily.

"Believe me. They like you better."

"Me, believe a Black? The idea is laughable, Sirius darling."

"Yes, well. So, how are your lessons with Jamesie going?"

"Bella gave you an acid pop when you were five."

"That good, huh? I'll have to tell James to stop teaching you."

"Then I guess I'll have to stop helping you with your… dog situation, huh?"

"Damn, evil, Slytherin beauty."

"Very funny. So are you and Shawn on or off right now?"

"Hard to keep track of, aren't we?"

"Worse than Jay's potion grades."

"Right now we're off. And speaking of Playa, what's between the two of you?"

"Jay and me? We're friends, is all. Why?"

"Friends, huh? Guess Shawn was right," mused Sirius.

"Shawn? Why were you asking Shawn about me? Sirius…"

"No reason," he said innocently.

"Fine," humphed Lily. "Why must you make anything so bleeding difficult?"

_James is going to kill me if she finds out that he likes her. How could I have let her know I asked Shawn about her? I'm dead!_

"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL!" Lily screamed, earning death glares from the librarian. "Sirius Black! Where's Potter? I'm going to kill him!"

Sirius was now very pale. "Ha ha, you fell for it?"

"Sirius Orion Black, I know you're not screwing with me. You don't have the guts."

"I do too have the guts! What I lack is the stupidity."

"I beg to differ."

"Hey!"

Lily drew herself up to her full and very unimpressive height of 5'5". "Tell me where he is so I can kill him!"

"Evans?"

"Yes?"

"You scare me."

"Good. Now where's Potter?"


	9. Luv Much, LIE

Disclaimer: ooh, ooh, L.I.E, spells lie. Which is what this is: Oh, yeah, I'm SO JK! Btw, S.O.B Son Of a Bitch. Lol.

_FEBRUARY 13  FOURTH YEAR_

'Lucious Malfoy is hereby cast from the Slytherin House on counts of mistrusting and insulting Slytherin Princess Lily Evans, and disregarding key qualities of a Slytherin gentleman. Any contact with the said fifth year will permanently ban you from the presence of one Lily Evans and co.

_Luv, _

_L.I.E_

Slytherin Princess' 

And

'Want in on the Marauders' latest? One Lucious Malfoy has disregarded even Slytherin rules and insulted their gorgeous, talented, witty, cunning, and sly Princess. So, the Marauders have decided that he is no longer worth our excellent pranks. We, the Marauders, announce our full support of the banning of the individual, Lucious Malfoy.

S.O.B **Honorary Marauder**' 

Were the notes circulating the student body at Hogwarts. Lily Ivy Evans and Sirius Orion Black had the support of the entire student body by day two.

Lucious Malfoy found himself shunned by Slytherins, Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, and even Hufflepuffs of all ages. Because NOBODY messes with Lily Evans.

James Potter found himself more attracted to the beauty than ever, despite the black eye she had given him when she found out he liked her. And Valentine's day was coming up…

"James, come here, I can't do this!" Lily whined. She was sitting on the floor of the dorm he shared with the rest of the Marauders, Sirius and Peter next to her.

"look, you just have to visualize it, is all," he said patiently.

"I AM visualizing it! And I'm telling you—it isn't working!"

He leaned over her shoulder to see her notes. The scent of her shampoo was driving him crazy, though.

"Well, no one ever said becoming an Animagus was going to be easy. I dunno, your notes are all correct. Maybe…"

"Maybe what?"

"Do you ever have weird, unexplainable dreams?"

"Well, duh."

"Ever think something might happens before it occurs?"

"Yeah."

"I think you have the Sight." You could hear the lone cricket chirping.

"Of course. First I hear voices, so I MUST be a mind reader. Now I have dreams, so I MUST be a Seer! You're mad. What does that have to do with this, anyway?"

"Seers, for some reason, are incapable of becoming Animagi. It's not that far fetched, really. A lot of Seers have the ability to read minds."

"This is ridiculous. I'm not having this conversation with you. I'm done for the day. Goodbye." Lily snapped her fingers in a practiced way, and the invisibility spell masked her figure, leaving her safe to exit the Gryffindor Tower without arousing suspicion.


	10. Cotton Candy Kisses

Disclaimer: I didn't make the sexy Sirius Black disappear, now did I?

_FEBRUARY 14 FOURTH YEAR_

Lily was walking through Hogsmeade, arm in arm with Sirius, as they were both currently between snogging partners. It may seem odd that the Slytherin Princess and such a true Gryffi allowed themselves to be seen together, but they complimented each other's images.

So, it's Valentine's day, yes? Which means oodles of candy, yes? Which means both Sirius and Lily are on sever sugar highs, yes? It's bad when they're separately on sugar highs, but put them together, and you might wanna run for your life. Or your sanity. Either one's good.

By now, Lily was blindfolded and giggling, holding a stick of cotton candy. Sirius was standing next to her bellowing:

"Three Knuts and you get one minute! Try and get all the cotton candy out of this beauty's mouth within the time limit, and you get five Knuts back!"

Not a good idea, huh? Lily had already made a Sickle's worth, and Sirius had taken a Knut to go buy another stick of cotton candy.

James laughed when he saw Sirius getting rich off of some girl's lips. Then he realized he recognized those lips. _Dammit, Sirius! Go auction off some other girl!_

He pushed to the front of the crowd, and, grinning at Sirius, handed over three knuts. Sirius grinned like a wolf.

"Next up, Lils! This one's going by 'Prongs'. Cotton candy ready?" Lily put a piece to her lips and nodded. "Kissers ready? Alright… go!"

James's lips descended on Lily's, and her mouth opened under his. He expertly swept the melted candy from her mouth, carefully getting every bit.

"Time!" called Sirius. James pulled away. "Verdict Lils?"

Lily ran her tongue over her teeth. "Clear," she said. "So, do I get to see this 'Prongs'?

Sirius handed James Five Knuts.

"You'll just have to find me," said James, pitching his voice lower than normal. He pressed a single red rose into her hand and turned tail.

Lily pushed the blindfold up in time to see a dark head disappear into the crowd. She tapped the rose against her lips thoughtfully, thinking, _I **will**__find you._

Lily was later sitting with Trista and Shawn in the Three Broomsticks, sipping butterbeers.

"So, what've you been doing all day?" asked Trista.

"Snogging Steph," said Shawn, shrugging.

"You guys going out?"

"No."

Trista rolled her eyes. "Lily? Please tell me you spent your day more sanely.

"Well, Sirius and I split six Sickles…"

"Which you got from…"

"Getting paid to snog guys until they removed all of the cotton candy from my mouth."

"Forget I asked. Just forget it," said Trista, shaking her head while Shawn laughed.


	11. Temptation

Disclaimer: too dangerous. Ya know, crazed fans and such?

_FEBRUARY 20 FOURTH YEAR_

Lily was sitting in the Library, James sitting next to her. They were working on a Charms project they had together, much to Lily's dismay. Lily was resting her head on the table for a moment, and before she knew it, was asleep.

James looked at Lily, who was sound asleep. She looked so sweet, so innocent, so… harmless. The girl who had more power in her pinky finger than most people had in their entire being. Look at what she had done to Lucious Malfoy. Harmless indeed.

Well, he couldn't very well leave her to sleep on a table in the library, could he? So like a good stalker, James collected their things and carried Lily up to his common room.

Lily woke up on a soft surface, rather warm. Okay, that was odd, considering she fell asleep in the library… She looked around to find she was in the Gryffindor Common room. And that her shoes were off, and she was lying on a couch by a fire covered in blankets and surrounded by pillows.

Nearby, she saw James sleeping in a chair. Lily listened to his deep, even breathing for a few minutes before going over to him. She sat on the armrest and studied him. After a while, she realized why she was studying James Potter in the middle of the night. She _liked _him. And she liked that he liked her.

Lily debated whether or not to do it. She really did. But the curious side won out. You see, he had this habit of running his hand through his hair. And it bugged the hell out of her. Which was partly why he did it, but now we're getting off topic.

So Lily tentatively reached out and ran her fingers through his hair. Her fingers delighted in the sensation, and she did it again. It was like touching silk.

With a small smile, Lily returned to studying his features, or more, his lips. She longed to see if they were as soft as they looked. She glanced around, then, hoping James was a heavy sleeper, traced his lips with her finger. Which only succeeded in making her lips jealous.

"What am I doing?" she whispered to herself. "He's the bloody Gryffindor Prince, and I'm the Slytherin Princess. It would never work. So what the bloody hell am I doing?"

Then she realized he was watching her. She knew she had felt him shudder when she ran her finger over his lips. Damn. She looked at him with wide eyes as he licked his lips. He watched her every move as she fidgeted uncomfortably.

"James, I—" he suddenly leaned forward, and their lips met. Lily, in a daze, allowed him to deepen the kiss. Her lips were in heaven. Then she snapped out of it and pulled back so fast she fell off of the armrest.

"This never happened," she panted, skin white, cheeks flushed, eyes wide and panicked. "Never." And scurried out of the common room, leaving a stunnned James behind her.

And they acted as if it never happened. But Lily more and more caught James looking at her with slightly glazed eyes, studying her. And worse, she caught herself watching him.

­­­­­­


	12. Please?

Disclaimer: I am disclaiming this. Well, the STUFF you recognize anyway. HAHA! STUFF! The 'S' word! Take that Mrs. Wallin, you evil biatch!

_MARCH 3 FOURTH YEAR_

"Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Why not?"

Lily paused. Why not? She liked him. A lot. He was gorgeous, definitely. And he was a friggin good kisser. So why not? Oh yeah. Because he was a notorious heart breaker, and she couldn't stand it if he broke her heart.

"Goodbye, Potter."

"You don't know why not, do you?"

Lily sneered. "I know exactly why not." With that, she grabbed Dan and linked her arm through his, leaving James to stand alone.

_She's scared. She doesn't want to get hurt. She thinks I'll hurt her. And worse, I can't promise that I won't._

So James watched in frustration as Lily became what Sirius charmingly described as a 'kissing slut'. She snogged just about every hottie on the premises her age or older, with the exception of the Marauders. She'd snog someone until she felt herself start to get attached, then she'd find someone new.

James felt helpless, and nearly lost it every time he saw her with someone new on her arm. He didn't realize that he had done the exact same thing before he became obsessed with Lily. So one day he approached her on it.

He waited until she was alone, as he always did. Unfortunately, Lily Evans was rarely alone. Finally, he caught her as she headed back to her common room to get her books.

"Hi Lily," he said quietly.

"Hello Potter. Goodbye Potter."

"Why do you do it."

"No idea what you're talking about."

"You know, you've been labeled as a kissing slut," he blurted in sheer desperation.

Lily just laughed. "What the bloody hell is a kissing slut?"

"You _know_ what I'm talking about."

"You're such a hypocrite."

James paused. Okay, so she had him there.

"But what about that night _we_ kissed?"

"Potter, kisses mean nothing. That's why I can 'kiss around'. They mean nothing to me. Like this."

With that, Lily stood on tiptoe and pushed James against the wall. Their lips met, sending waves of energy through their bodies. James tried to deepen the kiss, but Lily pulled away.

"See," she panted, eyes bright. "Nothing." James was still trying to process the fact that THE Lily Evans had just had him up against a wall.

"Liar."

"Check my initials," she said, turning to leave. James grabbed her elbow and spun her around. She looked… startled to say the least. And he looked… HOTT!

James brought their lips together again, and this time, Lily ran her fingers through his hair. He moaned softly at the sensation. When they separated, James looked straight into her glimmering green orbs.

"Nothing, huh?"

Lily felt like screaming 'No, not nothing, everything! Your lips mean EVERYTHING to me!' instead, she gulped and whispered, "No, nothing."

Instead of the trademark "I've-just-been-pushed-on-my-ass-but-I'm-still-totally-hott" James Potter grin, Lily found herself incapable of deciphering his look.

"I—" but he turned and walked away.

Sirius and the rest of the Marauders tried to question James about what happened, but received only grunts as replies. They watched as James spent all of his time pining for the redheaded Slytherin.

One dinner, everyone was seated when a fifth year Hufflepuff stood and made his way over to the Slytherin table. The boy was known for being rather wacked. They said it had something to do with his wand backfiring in first year, but he was touched in the head.

He got Lily's attention and kneeled on one knee in front of her. Which of course got the attention of everyone in the Great Hall.

"Lily Evans, will you marry me?"

The jaws of everyone in the Hall graced the floor. James looked ready to kill. Sirius was muffling laughter.

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"PLLLEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSEEEEEE?"

"No."

"Why not?"

Heads were turning back and forth between the two. It was like watching a ping pong match.

"We're too young."

"When we're older?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because we've never dated."

"Will you go out with me?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"I don't know your name."

"Dean Fry. Now?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because now I'm too old." With that, she stood and left. The Marauders started laughing, which prompted everyone else to laugh. Dean followed Lily and grabbed her arm.

"I SAID please."

Lily punched him in the jaw, one of her rings cutting him. He looked up at her angrily from his position on the ground.

"And I SAID no." With that, she stomped out of the Hall, the Marauders still bellowing with laughter.


	13. Evil Midget Clowns

Disclaimer: Don't go there with me.

_MAY 24 _(hee hee, my bday)_ FOURTH YEAR_

Lily woke, gasping, and immediately ran for Dumbledore's office. She found him wandering the halls.

"Yes, Miss Evans?"

"Headmaster, you know how a few months ago, I told you of my suspicions?"

"Ah, yes. About being a Seer. And?"

"Well, I had another dream."

Lily watched Hogwarts disappear as the carriage pulled her away.

Damn Sight.

Just because of a single dream where Voldemort speaks of coming after her, and Dumbledore decides to send her away. So off she went to visit her aunt and uncle in France—for a year. And when she came back, it would be under a different name.

Damn Sight.

Shawn and Trista woke to find Lily's bed made, her trunk gone, and Lily herself absent.

By breakfast, news had spread that the queen of Hogwarts had disappeared without a trace. Rumors of suicide, murder, kidnapping, and something that had to do with evil midget clowns (most likely Sirius's creation) were flying everywhere. No one knew what to think. Not even the Marauders.

James had tried to read Lily's thoughts, but his mind seemed to slide over an invisible wall. Which meant she was blocking his thoughts, unconcious, or dead. He was voting for the first one.

"Remus?" he asked miserably.

"I don't know, James. I just don't know."

Sirius and Remus watched helplessly throughout the next year as James slowly faded away. He ate less, slept less, talked less, pranked less. Without Lily, James Potter was—LESS. Their friend seemed to have lost his thirst for life. His grades dropped, he didn't laugh, and smiled less. He even lost his enjoyment in Quidditch. James spent most of his time alone.

The boys of course surprised Remus with their Animagus forms and went out on full moons with him. Sirius knew James only did that because it reminded him of Lily. But they could do nothing. Just watch.

A/N: Sorry?


	14. Not Me

Disclaimer: Not me.

_AUGUST 21 BETWEEN 5 & 6 YEAR_

Lily Evans walked into Diagon Alley for the first time since before her fourth year. No, that's not right. Scarlet 'Scar' Evans walked into Diagon Alley for the first time in her life.

Her hair was darker, her complexion smoother, her walk had changed, her figure was curvy… er. She even had special contacts made (b/c she didn't NEED contacts) so her eyes were blue-green instead of green. And the accent helped. Overall this was NOT Lily Evans.

Scarlet pulled her trunk onto the train, looking helplessly around. She couldn't go to her friends; they wouldn't accept her until she was re-sorted into Slytherin. After some debate with herself, Scarlet entered the compartment she remembered as the Marauders'

She looked up to see the boys all very wide-eyed. She was sure she heard James whisper 'Lily'. But why would he? He had just had a crush on 'Lily' and that was over a year ago.

"'Ello. I am Scarlet Avens, but my friendz call me Zcar. And 'oo may I azk are you?" (A/N: I'm SORRY! I'm not French, so I can't do the whole accent thing! I'll try as hard as I can, though, I PROMISE!)

"Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, and I am James Potter." Each boy bowed as James announced his name. "I take it you're a transfer student from Beauxbatons?"

"Yez. I am to be ztarting my zixth year. And you?"

"Us too," said Sirius. "I hope you're a Gryffie."

Scarlet couldn't help it; it was a natural reaction. She sneered at him. "No. I 'ave been told by zome zat I am a Zlyzzerin to ze bone. It iz, avter all, xe mozt noble 'ouze, iz it not?" she could see that the boys were all very uncomfortable. Good.

"I have to ask," said James. "are you related to a Lily Evans?"

"Lily Aevans? No, I do not zink zo. Why?"

"Just wondering." To Lily, his eyes seemed to have lost some of their glimmer, and his hair seemed slightly duller than when she last saw him. Her fingers itched maddeningly to touch it.

"So… Scar, huh? Where did such a pretty girl get a name like that?" asked Sirius.

Scarlet's face darkened. "I vould razzer not zay."

"Oh," said Sirius. "Everyone has secrets, I suppose." Lily looked at Remus.

"Yez. Zo I zuppoze."

Scarlet was waiting to be sorted with the first years, just as she had done so long ago. When the kids entered the Great Hall, she hung behind, waiting.

She was cued, and walked in, head high. The Hall looked exactly as she remembered it, only with a few different faces.

"This year, we have and exchange student from Beauxbatons. Scarlet Avens," Dumbledore was saying. Scarlet found herself with the attention of every guy in the Hall on her. This was going to be too easy. She sat on the stool, smirking.

_**Ah, Lily Evans. Nice to see you again. Well, the name change alone suggests that you value your own hide too much to be a Gryffindor. But I must say you have gained many Gryffindor characteristics since we last met. And it seems you're falling for the Prince, too. I guess I COULD make an exception just this once…**_

_If you put me in Gryffindor, I'll use you for dusting._

_**Well, I put you in Slytherin once before, and I don't like the way it turned out.**_

_I did well for myself in Slytherin! My friends are there! My LIFE is there!_

_**So get a new one!**_

"GRYFFINDOR!" shouted the hat before Scarlet could argue.

Scarlet's scream of "Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo" drowned out the Gryffindor applause, and she ran out of the Hall with the hat.

They later found her in some old, insanely dusty room, in fact using the Sorting Hat as a dusting mitt, occasionally lighting it on fire, then putting it out when the screams became to loud. All the while, she laughed hysterically. They pried the Hat from her hands and showed her to her new home. Saint Mungo's. Only joking, what I meant to say was the Gryffindor Tower. But to a true Slytherin, I'm sure they're the exact same thing…


	15. O: KJAFS

Disclaimer: Some nail polish, three tubes of lip gloss, ten pairs of shoes, and some sketches. That's it.

_SEPTEMBER 2ND SIXTH YEAR_

Scarlet was sitting at the Gryffindor breakfast table, glaring at her plate. She stopped when the intensity of her glare caused her food to catch fire. Anyway, there were only two Gryffie girls in her year besides herself. Riley Tomson was a devious girl with golden eyes and dark brown hair. A.J. King had intense blue eyes and blue-black hair. Actually a distant cousin of Shawn's.

Both girls were bright, funny, and tricky, but Scarlet missed Shawn, Trista, and Jay. Suddenly, she felt arms around her. Sirius was sitting on her right, his arm draped over her shoulders, and James was on her left, his arm snaked around her waist. The latter's close proximity caused Scar's heart to beat faster, and she was almost sure he could feel it.

"Good morning, beautiful," they chorused. Scarlet grinned. Of course. Get the Marauders, get POWER! Yes, Scar was… SLIGHTLY… power-hungry.

"Morning Zexy, 'Ottie."

"WAIT!" cried Sirius. "Who's who?"

"Well, you can be Zexy, and Jamez will be 'Ottie. Okay?"

"Okay."

Scarlet realized James was watching her intensely. Once again, she smooshed the urge to run her fingers through his messy hair.

"What?" she asked.

"You remind me of someone, is all."

"Oh, a lozt love, maybe?

"You could say that. She was more glorious than the rising and setting sun," he said dreamily.

"She muzt 'ave been zomezing."

"Yeah, she was. Lily Evans."

"Oh, ze Lily Aevans you thought I might be related to?"

"Her. She was a Slytherin, you know. With hair as fiery as her temper and eyes the most intriguing shade of green. You look and act a lot like her, actually. She was perfect, but she'd never let herself admit it."

"What 'appened to her?" Scar asked curiously. She wondered what the Hogwarts gossip chain had cooked up for her disappearance.

"Some say it was suicide, others say she was murdered by a crazed ex boyfriend. It's possible she was kidnapped. But some seem to think she ran off to be a Death Eater."

Lily gasped. The Hogwarts Gossip Chain is rather imaginative, huh? "What do you zink 'appened?"

"I think she ran away because of something that happened. Something life-threatening. She probably went to France. She always talked of going there one day."

"You two were cloze, zen?"

"No, not really. She never returned my feelings for her. I think she rather hated me, actually. But God, did I love her."

"Love?"

"Love."

"Hey Prongs, remember that time that Hufflepuff kid proposed to her in fourth year?" asked Sirius.

James laughed sadly. "Yeah, I do."

"Well?" asked Scar, eager to hear their version.

"Well, Lily practically ruled the school. She had every guy drooling over her. So one night, this Hufflepuff kid proposed to her. She kept giving him all these reasons of why she couldn't, but the sod didn't get it. So she socked him. Now he's got a scar to remind him that only James Potter can asked Lily to marry him and live."

Scar laughed out of true amusement. Then she stopped. That name… Prongs. Where had she heard it before. Then the memory of a fourteen year old girl tapping a red rose against her lips faded into her mind. Prongs. The cotton candy kisser. God, this was going to be hard.

James watched Scarlet laugh. She reminded him so bloody much of Lily. He felt himself slipping, and was suddenly aware that he was falling for this girl.

But he had sworn never to be in love with anyone other than Lily when she left. So how could he be falling for Scarlet? Simple. Lily Evans was always out of his reach. She was a Slytherin, which made her untouchable. And when he got too close to her heart, she made the wall around it harder to get through. Then she disappeared. Completely gone from his eyes, but not his heart. Scarlet was here. A Gryffindor. A solid, tangible being, not a figment of his heart-broken imagination.

Scarlet Avens was an achievable goal. Something he could hang onto. Something real.

­­­­­­­­­­­­­

Sirius watched James watch Scarlet. Not good. By that look, Sirius could tell James was falling for her. But he couldn't! He had sworn he would love Lily for the rest of his life. So James had to stay free until she came back. She had to come back. Operation: Keep James Away From Scarlet (O: KJAFS) commenced.


	16. If Things Weren't Different

Disclaimer: I refuse to accept the responsibility for making the hott, sexy, gorgeous Draco Malfoy evil.

_OCTOBER 20 SIXTH YEAR_

A Halloween ball, huh? A disguise? Perfect. And who would Scarlet go as? Why, none other than this bloody Lily Evans she was forced to hear about every bleeding minute. Okay, so she had the Gryffindors, the Hufflepuffs, and the Ravenclaws wrapped neatly around her little finger. They Slytherins were being stubborn, but she was getting to them, too.

So life was good. Except that everyone was BLOODY OBSESSED WITH LILY BLOODY FUCKING EVANS. Every minute of every day, it was 'Lily this' and 'Lily that'. Which wouldn't be so terrible if she WAS Lily Evans.

Scar got someone to show her a picture of Lily, so no one would be suspicious of how she knew what to look like. She was spinning everyone up in her web of lies once again.

The night of the ball, Scarlet dressed alone. She removed the blue contacts, and with a wave of her wand, she lightened her hair back to its original, rich color, and removed the freckles she had so laboriously charmed onto her skin. Another flick, and her curled hair was swept up into a complicated updo.

She hung emeralds in her ears, and an emerald drop necklace adorned her throat. Shiny green stilettos added to her height, and her makeup drew all attention to her eyes. But her dress was something else.

It was a stunning emerald green, made of satin. On the outside, it had a lace-up bodice, and the full sleeves were completely slit from the shoulder to her fingers, with ties at her elbow and wrist to keep it on her arms. The full skirt just touched the ground as she stood in her stilettos. She looked every bit the Slytherin Princess she still was. A wave of her wand all but removed her French accent.

Scarlet smiled seductively at Lily Evans as she looked in the mirror. Seductively but evilly. She snapped her fingers and snuck out of the tower.

In the halls, Scar removed the invisibility charm. She sat with the Slytherins at dinner, observing them. And they wordlessly accepted her. She was, after all, the mirror image of Lily Evans.

James was staring at this image in satin, his heart breaking into billions of little pieces. She looked exactly like Lily. But she wasn't Lily, which is what killed him. His Lily seemed to be sitting right in front of him, and was yet so far away.

The tables were removed, and the music began playing. Scar danced with partner after partner, until she finally stopped for a drink. She ladled some punch into a cup and sipped. Damn. Sirius had already spiked it. She just had to be careful about how much she drank.

Later that night, James couldn't stand it any longer. His body, mind, and heart ached for Lily. This wasn't Lily, but surely whoever this girl was, she could keep him from going mad.

"Care to dance?"

This girl looked at his outstretched hand, then back at his hazel eyes. Then she slipped her slender hand into his large one.

"Gladly." His heart stopped at the voice. It was hers, only… not.

HE lead her out onto the dance floor as a slow song started. She put her arms around his neck and he rested his hands on her waist. When he would have kept them a reasonable distance apart, she moved closer so their bodies here touching, her head resting on his shoulder.

James's heart was screaming for Lily, but he shut it up. He was going to enjoy what little bit of her he could get.

He tried to keep them apart, but Scar missed him too much. Her body screamed for his touch, so she closed the gap between them. Her eyes begged to look at him, and she indulged them. But when her lips cried for his, she denied them.

She buried her lips in his shoulder, but it was too much. Before the song ended, she broke away from him, trying to keep her composure. He looked at her, confused, until suddenly she turned and fled.

When everyone returned from the ball, Scar was in a tank top and pajama pants, sitting in the Common Room, reading a book. As far as anyone knew, she had spent the evening there. Her once again dark curls framed her blue-green eyes, and her accent was back.

Scar noticed that everyone coming in was at least slightly drunk. Which was good, because she hadn't had time to recreate the freckles on her face.

The last one in was a completely wasted James who flopped onto the cough beside Scar.

"Guez whatScar? Tonight I danssed wiv Lilllllllly," he slurred.

"You, Jamez, are drunk."

"Jjame Bodder duzn ged drung."

"Zen who are you?"

"Now, now, Lilllllly, be nize."

Scar froze. "I am _not_ zis Lily Aevans!"

But he was out cold. Scar glanced around. No one was there. And even if they had been, they'd be too drunk to remember it the next day.

She reached out and ran her delighted fingers through his hair. At least five times. Then she began twirling it possessively around a finger.

"If things weren't different," she whispered. "_Then_ we could have our fairytale ending." She kissed his cheek, and left.

A confused Sirius (the ONLY not-even-slightly-drunk-person-between-the-ages-of-14-and-17 in the school) turned away from his vantage point on the stairs. If only WHAT weren't different?

As he turned, he ran smack into Remus.

"We can't let them fall in love," Sirius blurted.

"No, we can't. James has to stay free for Lily, just in case she comes back.

"Operation: Keep James Away From Scarlet goes into full swing tomorrow."

Remus looked at Sirius as if he were mad, but nodded. They were going to make James and Scarlet hate each other. They had to.


	17. Quidditch Scar Style

Disclaimer: Just don't.

A/N: this is my 4:03 AM whim. I just finished reading HBP, but the end made me cry REALLY hard, so it ended up I couldn't sleep. So, here I am. Typing at… 4:04 AM. Wish me luk!

_NOVEMBER 13 SIXTH YEAR_

Scar contemplated the piece of paper posted on the bulletin board. Due a recent prank, Sirius finally achieved his life goal—at only sixteen years of age, too! Having successfully received the most detentions in Hogwarts history, and the nature of the prank that put Sirius on top of the previous record (something to do with charming the Slytherins' chairs to eat their robes, no one was entirely sure), Sirius was banned from Quidditch for the rest of the year. Which was good news and bad news.

The bad news was that Sirius was the best Keeper Gryffindor had seen in a long while, and the Gryffies were afraid of what would happen to their team without him. The good news, was that the times of Sirius's unbeatable record were _before_ Scarlet came to Gryffindor.

So Scarlet decided to try out for the team. She had been Keeper of the Slytherin team, and rumor had it she was going to be named captain in her sixth year. So why not try out for the Gryffindor team? It'd give her something to do.

­­­­­­­­­­­­­

Scar stood on the field with the other hopeful Keepers. James was walking up and down the ranks, scrutinizing every single Gryffindor. When he got to Scar, she held her head high, hoping he wouldn't notice that her freckles weren't in the same order as they used to be. Or that… ohhhhh… shiiiiiiiiiiiiiit.

Of course, it would HAVE to happen RIGHT then. When she blinked, her right contact folded over. She kept her eyes closed, hoping he hadn't seen in that split second. If he had…

"Uh, hold on, I, er, 'ave got zomezing in my eye," she said, turning her back and rearranging the lens. She turned around and gave a confused James her most winning smile. "Well, coppyton? Shall we?"

James grinned. "Alright people! A.J., Riley, and I will each try to get the Quaffle past you twice. I wanna see somebody up there defending those hoops five minutes ago! Slytherin's already scoring! Get on your brooms!" it was then James realized that while nine people were taking off to hover near the hoops, one was missing. He looked up to see Scar in front of the hoops with a bored expression on her face. "How long has she been there?" he asked Aj out of the corner of his mouth.

"Um, she was up there when 'Quaffle' was halfway out of your mouth," she said, giggling.

"Oh. Alrighty, then."

Later, only Scar and two fifth year boys had caught even half of the Quaffles thrown. James sent everyone else away, rather impressed with Scar's abilities. She had caught five of the Quaffles. Mik had actually caught all six. And Max snagged four. Now came the dangerous part.

James called out Trevor Lane and Brandon King (yes, Aj's older brother), the Beaters. To see how well each prospect could dodge Bludgers. James winced in sympathy for the people who were going to get pulverized by his Beaters' supreme aim.

Max went first, wanting to get it over with. He did pretty well, but he got hit twice, and Riley sent him off to the Hospital wing with a pitying look when the second Bludger nearly knocked him into the top box.

And Mik, the dude who was so terrific at saving the Quaffle, was rendered unconscious after 7 seconds of being approximately twenty feet from Trevor and Brandon.

Now it was up to Scar. James didn't realize that he was gripping his clipboard so tight his knuckles turned white until Riley complained that it was creaking under the stress as she miserably failed to hide a grin.

Trevor and Brandon smacked the bludger back and forth amongst themselves. You'd never have known Scar was hovering between them, silently and gracefully dodging the mad Bludger. The two Beaters nodded to James who in turn released the other Bludger. Now there were two of them for Scar to dodge. She looked about as calm as if she were sipping her afternoon tea. Calmer, probably, because afternoon tea generally includes fussy old ladies. Well, she looked like she was having fun, anyways.

"Thank you!" James called. "We'll have results posted in the Common Room this evening.

"Well, that was obvious," said Aj. James grinned.

"Certainly. Not a hard decision at all," he said.

"No, I was talking about you falling for carrot-top." The rest of the team laughed as James blushed, well, scarlet.

"Ha, ha, very funny."

"So, cappy," said Riley. "When's next practice? We've got to shine up our new penny so she's presentable in a single friggin week!"

"Damn you Sirius!" Aj screamed dramatically. Her scream echoed off of the walls of the Sirius-free locker room.

"Don't worry," said Brandon. "We'll whip 'em, no matter what. The badgers of Hufflepuff were never meant to fly."

"Don't get cocky," warned James darkly. "You never know what may happen."

So guess what? Something happened. Peter was having trouble with his potion in :gasp: Potions on Wednesday, so James was trying to help him. Which resulted in Peter's cauldron blowing up. Peter, unfortunately, was saved from the explosion, as he ducked under his desk in time. James, on the other hand… got a complete drenching in none other than… Draught of Living Death, of course!

By Friday afternoon, James was kinda awake. Kinda as in… unable to form too many full sentences. An emergency team meeting was held in the Hospital Wing.

"God, James. You are so fugging unlucky," said Aj, looking at her captain's pitiful condition.

"Shuddup King."

"Aw, you remember me!" Scar grinned in appreciation at how much Aj really was like Shawn.

"Okay," said Trevor. "Our main problem right now is how we're going to find another player TODAY."

"No neeeed. I can plllllay. Juzzzzzz not talllg."

"Whatever you say cappy. But if you can't talk, then we NEED a new cappy," said Aj, rather perky, when you look at the situation they were dealing with. At Scar's confused look, Riley pointed to a pile of chocolate frog wrappers next to Aj. Ah, that made sense.

Everyone looked at everyone else. James was the only true-born leader on the team. Well, that is, until…

"Scar," was the answer that popped out of everyone's mouths in unison.

"Um, in caze 'oo 'aven't noteeced, I am razzer new to zis team," said Scar, startled.

"Yeah, but you're a natural leader. At least, you're a natural bosser-arounder," reasoned Aj. Well, I'm not sure you could call it _reason_, to be precise…

"You zink I can do eet?" she asked. Everyone nodded. Even little third-year Annie, their Seeker.

"I know you can," murmured James.

"OH MY GOD HE FORMED A COMPLETE SENTENCE!" yelled Brandon, and was hurriedly shushed by the Healer.

_Dear GOD, what have you gotten yourself into now, Lils?_ Scar thought to herself as she walked out onto the Quidditch Pitch. _Yep, I'm an idiot. _

"And here comes GRYFFINDOR! First, the ravishingly beautiful, gorgeous, and graceful Scar Avens, Captain and Keeper!" came Sirius Black's voice over the magical speaker (hey, he's gotta do SOMETHING to occupy himself!) "Ow, Shawn, quit it! No, I didn't mean it like that! STOP IT! Thank you. And James Potter, who remains second-hottest in Hogwarts, topped only by yours truly, a Marauder, former Captain, and current Chaser! Oh, all right, professor. Only names and positions from here on. Jeez, Don't get your panties in a twist. Where was I? Oh, right. Aj King, Chaser! Riley Tomson, Chaser! Trevor Lane, Beater! Brandon King, Beater! And Annie Gables, Seeker!

"And, of course, the badgers that should have stayed on the ground today. Oh, all right professor. Diggory, Captain and Seeker. Drop, Chaser. Fumble, Chaser. Misst, Chaser. Hula, Keeper. Smak, Beater. "Womp, Beater. Notice how the names of the people handling the Quaffle aren't very lucky… Oh, professor, stop looking at me like that! You know as well as I do what's going to happen today. ANYWAYS!

"The captains are shaking hands. And now they're chatting. Well, it seems to my trained eye that the two Captains are arranging to meet each other for a date next Hogsmeade trip. Okay, that's weird. I think that's the first time that's ever happened. Huh. Idiot Hufflepuffs.

"No, professor! I didn't mean it! Honestly! Give that back! I promise I'll be good?" There were sounds of a tussle as Sirius and McGonagall fought over the magical microphone. Sirius won. "Okay, if everyone is done getting dates, shall we? On Madame Glare's whistle… They're off!

"Of course, the mighty Gryffindor lions start off with the Quaffle! Now it's Potter—King—Tomson—look out there Tomson!" Riley ducked under Misst. "Tomson passes to King—fine broom, she's on, there, that King. Both the Kings are sporting Spanish racing brooms of the finest quality. Not quite as fast as Potter's broom, for… reasons. Uh, anyways, Potter scores!

"And it looks like the Hufflepuff Keeper has fallen from his broom in attempt to stop Potter! I always said not to put badgers in the air… Sorry professor! Anyway, his chums are flying to catch him, while the Gryffindor Chasers seem to be practicing their aiming skills by repeatedly throwing the Quaffle back and forth through the hoops.

"So Hula's mates have caught him, someone caught his broom, and he's headed back up to the goals. Smak and Womp scatter the Chasers. It is now 210-0 Gryffindor!

"It's the Hufflepuff miracle! Drop has seized the Quaffle! Of course, King _tossed_ it to him out of pity, but he caught it! He's slowly making his way over to the Gryffindor hoops as the Gryffie Chasers… what are they doing? It seems as though the Gryffindor Chasers are painting their nails. Well, except for Potter. He seems to be going through a Quidditch magazine.

"Drop has FINALLY reached the hoops! Good going, Drop! Oh, Professor, stop looking at me like that. He throws the Quaffle, and… Avens turns her broom to speak to the older King, her broom tail batting the Quaffle out of the way. She… what the bloody hell are you doing, Scar?" Scar dove to catch the Quaffle. Hell, she was really, REALLY bored. She had gone through a month's worth of _Witch Weekly._ She looked at the Quaffle in her hands, shrugged, and sped off towards the Hufflepuff goals.

"Well, it seems as though the Gryffindor Keeper is going to… score a goal. Damn, this girl is _weird_! Oh, shit, sorry for the language, professor. Oh, sorry again! Anyway, I mean, first she makes a date with the other captain, now she's scoring goals. And… yep, 220-0 Gryffindor.

"It seems as though she's under severe Bludger assault, though she's dodging them easily. Avens speeds ahead of the Bludgers towards Lane and older King. She seems to be conversing with them. Well, King, anyway. Lane seems to have fallen asleep on his broom, and King is doing his Transfiguration homework. Look at that professor! Winning the House Cup AND doing his Transfig homework all in one! That's talent.

"It looks like Lane has given Avens his club. Well, actually, they had to wake Lane up for it, but, whatever. Now Avens has a Beater's club. EVERYBODY RUN! She seems to be bouncing a bludger on her club. She has now hit it… Okay, so Avens just hit it at the Slytherin stands. I TOLD YOU TO RUN! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh, sorry professor. The Bludger's target seems to have been Lucious Malfoy…

"Oh, would you look at that! It seems as though Annie Gables has caught the Snitch! It looks as though she, too, has freshly painted nails." There was a brief tussle, and Shawn's voice rang out through the stadium.

"Careful Gables! You've done a great job on your nails, you don't want the Snitch's wings to ruin 'em. Could you do mine tomorrow?"

McGonagall grabbed the mic, and gave the final score of 370-0. The entire Gryffie team landed, locked arms, and can-canned into the locker room.

The only damper on James's day, then, was that it was Diggory Scar had a date with next Hogsmeade weekend, not him. But at the moment she was hugging him, so he didn't really care who Amos Diggory was.


	18. Never Trust a Marauder

Disclaimer: You're smart enough to remember this fact, aren't you?

A/N: READ THIS! Kay, so I made a couple of mistakes in these last chappies. Um, first, I'd like to point out that I reintroduced Lily as Scar Evans, but her new name is SCAR AVENS. Second, in an earlier chapter, I said Lily was the Slytherin Seeker, but in the last chapter, I said she was Keeper. Lily Evans was Slytherin KEEPER before she disappeared. Sorry for any other mistakes I made, PLEASE point them out to me (I'm blind to my own mistakes!). The only reason I noticed the Seeker/Keeper mistake was because of my most faithful reviewer, Cluelessbystander. THANX ELLI!

_NOVEMBER 20TH SIXTH YEAR_

Scar tried to kiss Diggory back as he pinned her against the alley wall. She really did. But every time their lips touched, she had an intense longing for James. Every time she looked into Amos's eyes, she compared them to James's hazel orbs. What the hell was wrong with her? Here she was, in an alley, with a totally hott specimen. So why wasn't she happy?

Could it be that she was tired of her double life? That she wanted to cave, let herself get attached to James? She couldn't make sense of anything. How could she? Her life was rather messed up. Scar pulled away from Diggory.

"I am zorry, Amoz, I 'ave to go."

"What? Why?"

_Damn Hufflepuffs._ _Because you're an annoying ass… _"I can not do zis right now."

"Next Hogsmeade, then?"

_Um, noooooooo… _"You know, I am not zure eef zat's good for me. But I really have to go right now."

"Why?"

_Because your cologne is suffocating me_. "Because… I… er… Forgot to do my Charmz 'omework." A thinly veiled lie… probably enough to pass by him…

"Oh. Okay, then. I'll see you around."

_Not._ "Bye Amoz." _I hope your tie chokes you…_

Lily was sipping a butterbeer thoughtfully when the sound of scraping chairs brought her out of her reverie. She looked up to see the Marauders arrange themselves around her. She tried to grin up at them.

"Bug bite, Avens?" asked Remus, sniggering.

"What?" she asked, confused.

"You have a hickey," clarified Sirius.

Scar blushed bright red. James looked away. "I guezz you could call eet a bug bite."

"Bad date?" asked James hopefully.

"Ze worzt."

James tried not to grin, truly he did. He took a swig of butterbeer to hide it. He looked up to see Scar's bright eyes on him.

"What?"

She turned quickly away. "Nozzing. You juzt… remind me of zomeone I knew once, iz all…"

Sirius and Remus exchanged glances. They had to start forcing these two apart… soon. Much longer and they'd be practically inseparable. Remus nodded and Sirius stood up.

"Scar? Can I have a word?"

"Sure…" she stood and followed Sirius outside. He led her around the side of the Three Broomsticks. She didn't see him whip out his wand, but before she knew it, it was pointed at her throat and he was backing her into the dark, out of sight of passerby.

"What are you doing with James? Planning to flirt, seduce, and dump? Because that's what your type does."

"Sirius—"

"Don't 'Sirius' me! You disgust me. And don't give me those doe eyes either—it just makes me wanna kill a deer. Anyone with half a brain can tell you're hiding something. I think it's something that might hurt James. You're going to tell me what it is, or I'm going to hex it out of you."

Scar looked into his cold eyes and knew he was being… serious. "I—I cannot tell you. Nor can I tell Jamez."

"We, the Marauders, can't allow you to see him, then. He committed himself to one girl; promised to love her forever. That's not going to change, even if he thinks he's in love with some Bambi eyed redhead."

Scar felt like screaming 'I'M THE EFFING GIRL HE'S IN LOVE WITH, YOU PRAT!', but restrained herself.

"You cannot ztop me from zeeing 'im."

"But we can ruin your reputation so he'll never want to see _you_ again."

"I cannot tell you. Pleaze, you _muzt_ underztand!"

"You will never amount to anything Lily was. You're not good enough for him," was Sirius's unyielding answer.

Scar was close to tears. She was sworn not to tell anyone who she was. But if she didn't, she lost James…

"Fine. I will not zee 'im again." She held her hand out, and Sirius shook it. She had given in. Put what she was told to do before what she wanted to do. For once in her life, she didn't get what she wanted. "Eet looks like your plan worked."

Sirius tried to look confused. "Wh—what plan?"

Scar snorted. "Pleaze, do not inzult me any more zan you already 'ave. Operation: Keep Jamez Away From Scarlet. I am not deaf, nor am I blind. I knew you would one day turn on me, Son Of a Bitch. Accentz on ze capeetals." Sirius was cutely confused. "Don't worry. By ze time you 'ave feegured it out, I will be long gone."

"I'm sorry it has to be this way."

"Az am I. Az am I."


	19. I Never

Disclaimer: It's only a knock-off, I swear!

_DECEMBER 1st SIXTH YEAR_

"I am ZO effing bored," said Scar suddenly. The all the sixth year Gryffindors were sitting in the common room, doing nothing. A rare occurrence of late, actually, as Lily always left a room James entered, for fear of his fellow Marauders.

"As are the rest of us," said Riley.

"I never?" suggested Sirius. Aj groaned.

"Last time we played that, everyone found out that you don't wear boxers on Thursdays, Sirius…"

Scar made a face. "That iz _di__zguzting_!"

"I'll be right back," said James, off to the kitchens. A few minutes later, he returned with seven cans of whipped cream. "Alright, first, Remus, place a charm on everyone so you're forced to tell the truth." The werewolf did so. "Kay, you first Scar."

Scar glanced at Remus and Sirius. They seemed to be fine with her being in the room with James, so far… "I 'ave never worn pink underclothez."

Sirius, Riley, and Peter all took shots from their whipped cream cans.

"I don't even wanna know, Sirius…" said Remus.

"Me next!" said Aj. "I've never walked down a flight of stairs without tripping."

Everyone but Sirius took a shot. He continued next. "I've never worn a bra."

The girls all took shots, rolling their eyes. Remus went on. "I've never gone swimming with the giant squid."

Scar, Riley, and Aj took shots, seeing as a truth or dare game with the other Gryffie girls had gotten slightly out of hand… it had been during the dead of winter… aka, last week.

Peter was next. "I've never gotten higher than a Pathetic on a Transfiguration assignment."

Everyone took a shot, giving Peter strange looks. Riley decided to go next. "I've never wet myself."

Peter took a shot. Everyone looked at him, disgusted. "Ew." Was the only word said, and it came from the three girls simultaneously.

It was James's turn. "I've never given head to a sweat soaked Hipogriff." Everyone stared at him. "What?" he asked innocently.

"If that wasn't the most RANDOM thing in the ENTIRE bloody world…" said Aj.

This continued for about half an hour, some of the comments less G-rated than others. So, as we reenter the story, it's Sirius's turn.

"I've never snogged James."

Scar went sheet white. _OH SHIT! NO BLOODY WAY! DAMN YOU SIRIUS! DAAAAAAAAAAAMN YOU!_ The charm tugged at her, causing her arm to jerk towards her mouth. She fought it, screwing her eyes shut. She had never been so upset to feel gloriously fluffy whipped cream on her tongue.

Scar opened her eyes a tiny bit. Everyone was staring at her. _Nononononononono! This isn't happening!_

"Um, Scar, I haven't snogged you before…"

"I think the spell's defective," said Sirius. Scar wished she could melt into the ground.

"The spell's not defective, Padfoot," said Remus. He was looking at Scar curiously.

"Well, it's gotta be," reasoned Riley. "If James and Scar haven't snogged, then the spell has to have a glitch."

"_Unless_," said Sirius. "We're totally missing something here…"

Scar could hear her heart thundering in her ears. "It 'as got to be ze zpell."

"It's not the spell," said Remus. "I can guarantee it."

"Well, then how can you explain this?" asked Aj.

"I _still_ say we're totally missing something here."

"Shut it Padfoot."

"No, I think he's on to something," said Remus.

Scar tried to sound exasperated. "Look, wouldn't Jamez or I _know_ eef you were all mizzing zomezzing?"

"Yes," said Remus calmly. "And I think there's something you're not telling us.

"And I zay zat I am t—" Scar kept moving her mouth, but no sound came out.

"Um, what's wrong with her…?" asked Riley.

"It's the spell," said Remus thoughtfully. "It won't let her lie."

"Well, James, _you_ said you didn't snog Scar, but the spell made Scar take a shot when—" Sirius was cut off by Aj.

"When Sirius said he hadn't snogged James! That's it!"

"What?" asked James and Scar simultaneously.

"Scar's snogged James, but James hasn't snogged Scar!" shouted Remus excitedly.

"H-how's that possible?" asked Scar. She was terrified. They were getting so close. SO close.

"Like this." Remus waved his wand. Judging by their reactions, Scar knew she had been restored back to Lily.

"No," she whispered, putting her head in her hands.

"He snogged _Lily_. Not Scar."

"_Lily!_" came James's hoarse voice.

"Jamez…" she started, knowing he was gonna be pissed.

"How could you do this to me! You _lied_ to me… All this time… I've been killing myself over Lily, and here you go and tell me that you're her! I bet everyone else knew… yeah, you must have poured your little bitch's heart out to Sirius and Remus, laughing as you played your sick little games with me. You probably have been snogging half of Hogwarts behind my back while you made me fall in love with your new self!" Lily was crying.

She reached out to him. "Jamez, I—" He struck her hand away, and she sank to her knees in front of him, tears shining on her face, a picture of beautiful sorrow.

"Don't! You're just like the rest of them! All manipulating, selfish, cold-hearted little bitches!" He turned and stalked up the staircase.

Lily turned her hard, pained eyes to Sirius and Remus. "Good God, I do 'ope you are 'appy by now."


	20. Could this GET Less Fair?

Disclaimer:bursts into tears:runs off to get therapy:

_DECEMBER 20TH SIXTH YEAR_

If anyone noticed that Scar Avens and James Potter were suddenly snogging anyone who held still long enough, they didn't say anything. If anyone realized that the Marauders seemed to have split up, they didn't mention it. If anyone cared that the sixth year Gryffindors no longer spoke to Scar, they didn't confront anyone about it. It seemed that suddenly, everyone at Hogwarts was very interested in their _own_ business. For once.

Lily kept up her masquerade, though she knew it was useless. Eventually, people would know, now that the truth was out.

Aj and Riley wouldn't speak to the former Slytherin, James obviously hated her, and the rest of the Marauders were too busy trying to get James to speak to _them_ again. Sure, most of Hogwarts' residents liked her, but it wasn't the same. She resigned from the Quidditch team and withdrew from extracurricular activities. And no one noticed.

She looked up at a tapping sound on her window. An owl was hovering outside, looking rather annoyed. Lily quickly opened the window to let it in. He grumpily dropped a letter, then left without waiting for a reply. Confused, the redhead opened the envelope to find a hastily scribbled note written on muggle paper.

Her parents had heard she was back in the country. Oh joy. They said they missed her, wanted her home for Christmas. Unbelievable. And she knew she had to go. If she didn't, chances were she wouldn't live through the summer. Daaaaaaaaaaaamn was the only word she could think of. Okay, that's a lie. She could think of a few others…

Lily crumpled the note and threw it in the fire as the dorm door opened to admit Riley and Aj. The three girls looked different directions, and Lily hung her head. Never before had she been ashamed of being a Slytherin. But she was now.

"Going home for the holidays?" asked Riley in a clipped voice.

"Yeah," said Lily softly, trying not to wince. Well, she _wasn't_ going home. Hogwarts was her home.

"Good, then Aj and I can stay here."

Lily nodded her head. What could she expect? She used to be a Slytherin. You couldn't expect Gryffindors to get over that simply because she was sorted into Gryffindor second time around.

"Look, Rilez…"

"Don't call me that. My _friends_ call me that."

"I juzt thought—"

"Just because you're supposedly all broken-hearted over a boy who's too good for you doesn't mean our femininity is going to overcome our Gryffindor pride and make us all sympathetic," spat Aj. "You lied to us. You lied to Sirius, Remus, and Peter. You lied to _James_."

"I did not 'ave a choice!" Lily started hotly, knowing it wasn't going to get her anywhere.

"And neither do we."

Lily nodded once again, and swiftly walked out of the dormitory, head high, tears pricking her eyes. Down in the Common Room, she wished she had stayed in the dorm. It was empty except for the Marauders. Lily timidly sat down and opened a book, and the boys turned their backs to her. Lily's pride burned in her chest as she watched the boy she loved and the boys she had trusted shun her.

She got up and sat down with them. "We need to talk."

"There's nothing to talk about," hissed James. "You lied to us."

"I lie to everybody, don't act like you're zomezing zpecial," spat Lily, angry that she loved him no less, even though he hated her very existence.

Not helpful. "You played me, Evans. Just like the bitch you are."

That stung. "I never played you, Jamez. I did what I 'ad to. I couldn't tell you. I waz _zworn_ not to tell anyone! You can not blame me for something I couldn't help!"

"Watch me."

"Jamez, when we kissed—"

"Kisses mean nothing," he mocked her younger, colder, self. Lily stared wide-eyed as he ripped her heart out, stabbed it with acupuncture needles, skewered it with a hot poker, beat it with a two-by-four that had rusty nails sticking out of it, used it as a pin cushion, slammed it in a door, ran over it with a monster truck, Crucio'd it, squeezed lemon juice on it, gave it a billion paper cuts, and to top it all off, rolled it in salt. James seemed even seemed to realize that he had gone too far with that one. He knew she was no longer that girl, but he couldn't help it.

"Why can you not underztand—"

"I don't love you, Lily Evans. I once had some sort of infatuation for you, but I don't love you."

Lily looked up at him with eyes full of such pain, he could have struck her easier than held her gaze, so he looked away. She nodded her head.

"Then it eez done. Goodbye, Jamez Potter. I may not be able to be with you, but you will never forget me. I promize you zat."

With that, Lily stepped forward, swiftly kissed him, then exited the Common Room. James was left standing there, heartbroken, confused, his lips burning from the kiss. What did she mean, 'you will never forget me'?

xXx

Outside the portrait, Lily leaned against the wall and slid down it, crying. How many times was he going to break her heart? Then she did something she hadn't done in forever. She reached out with her thoughts… and found James's.

_**What the hell is wrong with me? She couldn't tell me. Why can't I bloody accept that? Maybe because I'm weak. I let myself fall for someone I obviously didn't know, and look where I am because of it! And what's worse is that I still love her. I love her more than anything on earth. So why can't I let my pride go? I should be begging for her forgiveness! If she'd even still accept me, which I doubt. She asked for forgiveness, and I still had to be the arrogant prat! What's the matter with me?**_

Lily pulled her mind away. She didn't want to hear any more. The boy wasn't right in the mind. She just had to forget him. She had bigger things to worry about just now. Like going home tomorrow…

xXx

Later that night in her dorm, Lily packed everything she belonged into her trunk. She wasn't coming back to Hogwarts after the holidays, one way or another. She couldn't. She would go back to France if she survived going home. What else could she do? Create another identity for herself?

Well… maybe.


	21. Happy Friggin Holidays

Disclaimer: Ever strike you as weird that every time we post something on FANfiction, we have to put a disclaimer on it?

A/N: Sorrys I haven't update! School started, and three weeks before that, I had band practice every bloody day, then the next week I had a bloody week of band camp, which ALWAYS brings to mind the phrase 'One time, at band camp…', and THEN I had ANOTHER bloody week of band practice. Then school started.

So I've been kinda… crammed. And I felt special 'cause I had a Humanities English project that I should have spent all summer on… I finished the book two days before school started, then did the work on it the next day. I'm such a good procrastinator!

And I'll prolly not be able to update very much… and I won't be able to update AT ALL on Mondays 'till football season's over. You do NOT wanna know my Monday schedule. Let's just say I've got band before, during, and after school. Until like nine o'clock at night. Try juggling that with schoolwork, 4-H, my horses, writing, sleep, AND having a life. Multi-talented, aren't I?

_DECEMBER 21 SIXTH YEAR_

Lily stumbled out of her fireplace white as a sheet. She really, _really_, wished she had stayed at Hogwarts. Her mother and stepfather looked up from their seats at the kitchen table. Petunia was most likely off with her boyfriend.

"Oh look, the freak's home," sneered her mother.

"Really, where?" asked Lily, looking around, pretending to be surprised. She'd pay for that later.

"Don't sass me, you little brat! Where the fck have you been for the last year?"

"Over ze river and through ze woods." Scar winced inwardly. Why did she have to be so bleeding sarcastic around them? It only made things worse. They would be SO sorry once she could use magic outside of school.

As the beating ensued, Lily urged herself to think happy thoughts. Like them under the Crucaitus curse…

xXx

Lily awoke with the heavy taste of blood in her mouth. Her left eye was swollen shut, and she could feel dried blood on her face from a long cut above her eyebrow. Just another scar she'd have to cover up with magic. Her body was speckled magnificently with cuts, bruises, and gashes. Oh joy. Isn't it lovely to be home again?

Moving stiffly, Lily staggered to her feet, and weakly pulling her trunk behind her, flooed to her aunt and uncle's house in France.

xXx

When Lily didn't return after the holidays, Sirius and Remus began to worry. James pretended not to care, but they could tell he was worried sick. Finally, they got tired of his acting, and confronted him about the missing redhead after two weeks.

The Marauders were sitting in the Common Room, doing various activities.

"Give it up James," said Remus tiredly.

"W-what?"

"We know you're still madly in love with her, even though you thought she was someone else, who you were coincidentally in love with, while she pretended that she wasn't who she really was, even though no one knew it at the time," said Sirius.

"You realize that made no sense whatsoever…."

"It made perfect sense," said Remus. "You need to get over your bloody pride and tell her you love her before she does something that will make you feel more guilty than humanly possible."

"But she _lied_ to me," whined James, knowing he was fighting a losing battle.

"SHE BLOODY HAD TO! NOW GO WRITE A LETTER TO HER BEFORE I BLOODY AK (avada kedavra) YOU!" yelled Sirius.

James looked at them with pained eyes. "I really do love her…"

"_Now_ we're getting somewhere!"

.xXx

Lily was out walking on the Beauxbatons grounds in the late night. She was restless, no idea why. A sudden sound like smooth wood sliding against cloth caused her to whirl around.

A boy her own age stood behind her, wand at the ready. She couldn't remember his name, but she recognized him as an annoying and rather immature prat. Which leads us back to the current situation.

(A/N: I'm gonna bold what is supposed to be in French, as I don't know any French…)

"**Hell-o, would you lower your bloody wand?"**

"**Ah, won't my master be pleased that I've caught the pretty little flower,"** he taunted.

"**What are you talking abou--?"**

"**Stupefy!"**

.xXx

James looked up dully as Sirius let an owl into the room. It dropped a letter in front of him. It had an emerald green seal. His eyes brightened. Lily _always_ sealed her letters with emerald wax, even when she was Scar.

He eagerly ripped the letter open, none of the guys paying any attention to him. Until he fainted dead on the spot. Worried, Sirius and Remus picked up the letter, both nearly fainting at the tear-splattered contents.

'My dear niece was murdered on the night of December 24. I'm terribly sorry for any distress this may cause you. It has shaken us all rather roughly. I send my regrets at being the bearer of this news.

Yours truly,

Janine Maddy'

.xXx

A/N: Sorry for the cliffie. Also sorry if I'm drawing this fic out WAY longer than you would like it to. If you're getting frustrated 'cause IT JUST WON'T END, lemme know in a REVIEW, and I'll try to do something about it.

Next Chappie:

"Ever get that feeling that something's terribly wrong?"

"It was written on _parchment!_ Muggles don't use parchment!"

"Hello, my flower."

"The question is, did she want to disappear, or did someone _want_ her to disappear?"

"I have a dream… No, wait… I mean, I had this dream…"


	22. Father

Disclaimer: … 

A/N: Good lord, I'm tired. BUT, I had a few extra minutes this weekend. So enjoy the product of my toil!

_JANUARY 15 SIXTH YEAR_

James hadn't spoken to anyone since the news of Lily's death had arrived. Most of the time, he just sat, looking lost. Sirius had stopped dating, pranking, and, well, being Sirius. Peter was… missing. Yet again. And Remus was pondering all the evidence they had. Which wasn't a lot, but hell, he was a werewolf, he could make something out of nothing.

So they were sitting in the common room, completely silent, Remus thinking. W_hat could we have missed? She went home for the holidays… well, there IS always a chance that her stepfather murdered her, but wouldn't the note have said something? _

_Think Moony, think. Let's see. The owl was unfamiliar, but her aunt could have gotten that at the owl post, she must've known how so she could contact Lily while she was at Hogwarts._

_James opened the envelope, read the parchment, fainted. WAIT! Opened the envelope… read the parchment… read the parchment… read the PARCHMENT! THAT'S IT! Muggles don't USE parchment! Wizards do!_

He didn't want to get anyone's hopes up by yelling 'OH MY GOD, LILY WASN'T MURDERED!', so he tried to remain calm.

"Ever get that feeling that something's terribly wrong?" he asked, his voice only wavering slightly.

"All the bloody time now days," muttered Sirius sullenly. James didn't say anything.

"Don't you think there's something _odd_ about Lily's 'murder'?" continued Remus. James winced at the words 'Lily's murder'.

"Besides the fact that she was murdered?" spat Sirius.

"Think, Padfoot. You too, Prongs."

"I don't WANT to think!" bellowed James. "Lily's _dead_! And she died thinking _that I hate her_!" he completely broke down.

"What I'm _trying_ to say is that there's something WRONG about all this! Lily's aunt, the one we supposedly received the letter from was a muggle! It was written on _parchment!_ Muggles don't use parchment!"

Silence. Complete silence. Then Sirius spoke. "So she might be alive?" he asked hopefully.

Remus nodded. "The question is, did she want to disappear, or did someone _want_ her to disappear?"

.xXx

Lily opened her eyes. She was lying on a soft bed in a comfortable-looking room decked out in green and silver. Slytherin colors. Rather comforting, really. There was a blazing fire, and cushy furniture. She sat up slowly as the massive door creaked open. In came a tall cloaked man. Rather handsome, really, if his eyes weren't so cold.

"Hello, my flower."

"Er, hi?"

"I am Lord Voldemort. You may call me 'father'."

Lily was confused. "… why?"

The man smiled slightly. "Because, I intend to make you my daughter. You will become my heiress. You fit here rather well, you know," he said conversationally as he poured her a drink. Lily took it and sipped.

"How so?" she asked. She took another sip of the drink.

"Well, you _are_ a Slytherin, my daughter."

"Of course, father. What else would I be? A Gryffindor?" she laughed haughtily. "Tell me, father, do I please you, being the way I am?"

He seemed to ponder the question for a minute. "Yes, daughter, I believe you do. You love power enough to reign after I am gone."

"Good," she said, "Good."

"Now, daughter, finish your drink. Is there anything you would like?"

Lily tipped back her drink. "Books," she said. "I'd love to read something right now."

Her father nodded and waved his wand. The shelf to Lily's right filled with books. She grinned. "Thank you father."

"I will leave you for now. Some one will come to escort you to dinner later. The wardrobe over there is filled with clothes I think you will like. Goodbye."

"'Bye father."

He turned and exited, and Lily went over to the books. There were books on the Dark Arts, on Salazar Slytherin, on the Unforgivable Curses, and the like. Lily picked up on and sat down in an armchair to read, as if she had been doing it every day for her entire life. And as far as she knew… she had.

.xXx

Sirius came downstairs the next morning. Remus and James were already sitting in the Common room.

Sirius announced to them, "I have a dream… No, wait… I mean, I had this dream…"

"About…?" asked Remus.

"Lils. Voldemort had her captive. Wanted her to be his heiress. She was fine with it, too. She believed anything he told her. It was kinda creepy, really."

"Yeah, like that'd happen," snorted James sullenly.

"Right," said Remus, rolling his eyes.

.xXx

Lily was sitting in the library a few days later, talking to her father, just as they did every day. Today, however, he announced something.

"In two weeks, on your seventeenth birthday, you will become a death eater."

Lily smiled fondly at her father. "Of course. If that's what you want."

"Good. We will have a celebration, as that night you will officially become my heiress."

.xXx

The three Marauders woke from this same dream simultaneously. They looked around at eachother.

"Did we just have the same dream?" asked James.

"If it had to do with Lily, Voldemort, and him telling her she was going to be a death eater, then, yeah," said Remus. The boys looked at each other with wide eyes and bolted for Professor Dumbledore's office.

.xXx

Lily lay in her room, asleep, dreaming.

:FLASHBACK THINGIES:

_Lily looked at Marie, her first friend at Beauxbatons. Marie looked back._

"_Scarlet, darling, wherever did you get all those scars?"_

"_Can you keep a secret?"_

**FLASH**

"_So… Scar, huh? Where did such a pretty girl get a name like that?" asked Sirius._

_Scarlet's face darkened. "I vould razzer not zay."_

**FLASH**

"_You can read minds," Jay mused. _

"_Which means you need to have a visit with the old crackpot," said Evan, grinning._

"_Dumbledore," said Lily, shuddering._

"_I'll take you," said Jay. They left together, Jay practically dragging his friend._

**FLASH**

"_Guez whatScar? Tonight I danssed wiv Lilllllllly," he slurred._

"_You, Jamez, are drunk."_

"_Jjame Bodder duzn ged drung."_

"_Zen who are you?"_

"_Now, now, Lilllllly, be nize."_

_Scar froze. "I am not zis Lily Aevans!"_

**FLASH**

"_Lily Evans, will you marry me?"_

_The jaws of everyone in the Hall graced the floor. James looked ready to kill. Sirius was muffling laughter._

**FLASH**

"_So, do I get to see this 'Prongs'?_

"_You'll just have to find me," said James, pitching his voice lower than normal. He pressed a single red rose into her hand and turned tail._

_Lily pushed the blindfold up in time to see a dark head disappear into the crowd. She tapped the rose against her lips thoughtfully, thinking, _I **will **find you.

**FLASH**

"_Don't! You're just like the rest of them! All manipulating, selfish, cold-hearted little bitches!" He turned and stalked up the staircase._

_Lily turned her hard, pained eyes to Sirius and Remus. "Good God, I do 'ope you are 'appy by now."_

**FLASH**

_The girls raced down to the common room. Sure enough, shining in golden and scarlet letters in the middle of the room was 'To Make You Sweeter Than You Already Are, Flower'. Underneath the words, a gold sword crossed with a scarlet wand—James Potter's signature sign._

"_**PPPPPPPPOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOTTTTTTTTTTTTTEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!"**_

_The Slytherins were gathering in the common room, all of them in basically the same state. There were angry murmurs at the sight of the Marauder's signature._

"_This. Means. War." Sounds of agreement ran throughout the angry, sticky, crowd._

FLASH 

_**Ah, Lily Evans. Nice to see you again. Well, the name change alone suggests that you value your own hide too much to be a Gryffindor. But I must say you have gained many Gryffindor characteristics since we last met. And it seems you're falling for the Prince, too. I guess I COULD make an exception just this once…**_

_If you put me in Gryffindor, I'll use you for dusting._

_**Well, I put you in Slytherin once before, and I don't like the way it turned out.**_

_I did well for myself in Slytherin! My friends are there! My LIFE is there!_

_**So get a new one!**_

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Lily jerked awake. Weird dreams she was having lately. Why would she be in France? In some of those dreams, she actually felt like she _cared_ about James Potter! Ha! Like that would ever happen. He was only good to be pranked. And what the hell was with the whole becoming a Gryffindor thing? Creepy! Not to mention morally wrong… Real purebloods weren't sorted into _that_ House. And she was a good little pureblood.


	23. I Killed My First Muggle Today

Disclaimer:villainous laughter:

A/N: Kay, OMG, I'm SOOOOOOOOOOO sorry I didn't get this up WAY sooner, but I actually had good reasons this time.

First, I had to get all four of my retarded wisdom teeth removed, which is a funny story, but they were impacted, not only that, but the roots hadn't formed. Therefore, the dude had to drill into my jaws, extract the teeth, then scrape out the holes so nothing… grew. So I slept for literally a week, only waking up to take vicodin. Note to the wise: don't take vicodin on an empty stomach; you'll puke your living daylights out, which is really unpleasant when you can't open your mouth, and can't eat anything anyway. But the funny part was that they gave me this drug before I went into surgery, and it makes u forget things, so I had no idea what I was doing, but mum says it's like I was high. Laughing hysterically, talking about seeing devils, the whole nine yards.

Then, I was drowning in band and homework, and highschool, combined with FFA, 4H, my horses, and band, was kicking my ass.

And then the other day, mum was all, 'hey, girls, I have something to tell you. You have a half sister, her name is Myrna, she's 31, has a husband and an 11 year old daughter, and lives in california. When I had her, I had to give her up for adoption. She contacted me the other day. She wants to meet us'. I never had ANY FCKING IDEA about my second sister, so this came as a shock. So I was all crying and spazzing out, and reading all of the emails they've traded, and printing out pictures of my niece, and brother in law, and SISTER. So I've been kinda… swamped.

Anyway, there was some confusion of _why_ Lily was all father-daughtery with Voldy. The drink he gave her had a potion in it that effectively brain-washed her, giving her memories of a different life, the one he wanted her to think she had. As far as she knows, Voldemort's her father, she's a Slytherin, she HATES the Marauders, and she's always wanted to be a death eater, so she finally gets to do it. In about a week. Will the Marauders come to the rescue? Will Lily _want_ to be 'rescued' by people she only remembers hating? Let's see, shall we?

_JANUARY 25 SIXTH YEAR_

Lily lounged indolently on the plushy green armchair in her green satin robes. Why did she feel like she was completely missing something? It felt like there was something totally wrong, and she just couldn't put her finger on it. But what could be wrong? She was about to become a death eater, her life-long dream. Or so her father told her. But her father was always right. He just was. Lordy, she was confused.

He never told her exactly _why_ she wasn't at Hogwarts. She just assumed he had brought her home for a little while for her to become a Death Eater. It just didn't fit. But she had no reason not to believe the things he told her. She just didn't.

There had to be some great reasoning here that was just beyond her, I mean, her father wouldn't do anything to harm her, right? Her days just seemed empty, hollow, somehow. As if there wasn't something there that was before. Kind of like when you lost a baby tooth. You could feel that it used to be there, but it wasn't any more. And just like that raw spot where the baby tooth had been, the feeling of it was driving her positively barmy.

Lily hurled the crystal goblet in her hand at the wall. It shattered, and without missing a beat, she waved her wand, turning it back into a goblet. She glared evilly at nothing in particular. She was getting rather good at glaring, really. I mean, it's not like she got to smile a whole lot. I mean, what was she going to smile at? Her father, telling her of how he hung a rabbit from an orphanage ceiling when he was younger? I don't think so.

(A/N: Kay, well, _I_ would smile. I have a mortal fear of rabbits. I honestly can't come within fifteen feet of one with out hyperventilating. Stop laughing your ass off at me! It's crippling, 'cos whenever we see rabbits somewhere, my friends are always all 'Oh, look at the cute wittle bunny wunny, let's go pet it!' and they don't realize that I'm huddled on the ground hyperventilating. I don't really feel like explaining _why_ I have this fear, 'cos if you didn't have my seventh grade English teacher, you wouldn't understand. So yes, I've had this fear for two years. For two BLOODY years, I've been incapable of coming near a rabbit. Yep. I'll end my rant now. Sorry. Oh, one last thing, Elli and I came up with this wicked club. It's called S.T.A.B. Society To Assassinate Bunnies. Yes. We had the same seventh grade English class…)

So how did our dear Lily spend her days? Well, besides glaring at absolutely nothing at all, she talked to Voldemort. Learned about his childhood, his life. She learned that he adored his mother beyond all things in the world ("She's a descendant of Salazar himself, you know"). He may never have known her, but he said she was perfect in every way. He never spoke of his father. Lily respected that. She had to.

Now, you may be wondering how our dear Marauders are spending their days. We haven't heard of them for a while, have we? Poor boys are neglected. Ah well, we shall neglect them just a bit longer. I _can_, however, tell you that they, along with Dumbledore and a team of HIGHLY TRAINED PROFESSIONALS (aka Aurors), are searching diligently for our dear Lilykins.(Awww, isn't that sweet?)

So, back to Lilz. Who is still glaring at nothing. If she were glaring at SOMETHING, it probably would have burst into flame by now. But, as she's not glaring at anything, how can it burst into flame? Well, there were little sparks in the air, but never mind them. Okay, one of those little sparks just zapped a moth. Damn, Lily's dangerous when she's bored…

Someone knocked on her door, then opened it without waiting for an answer. Lily sneered when she saw who it was. "What do you want, _Severus_?" The boy had graduated from Hogwarts two years early to 'dedicate his life to The Dark Lord'. Whatever he meant by that.

He smirked at her. "Someone cranky today?" he asked mockingly.

"Sod off."

"What are you going to do? Tell Daddy?" The immature prat had a knack for annoying her.

"Talk to the wand, Sevvy Wevvy," she told him. With a wave of the smooth piece of wood and a muttered word, darling Severus was swept out the door to hit the opposite wall and the door shut and locked firmly behind him. "Ammature."

Shaking her head, Lily went over to her dresser and opened up her diary. What do you expect she found? Ten days of notes? No. Much, much more. But the thing is, the hundreds of pages of notes were not written by Voldemort. Obviously, Lily thought she had written them as a record of her life. Now, you may think Voldemort would have written the life story he wanted Lily to have in the diary. He didn't. They were actual events that would have happened had Lily grown up Voldemort's daughter. Dark magic was abroad in Voldemort's castle.

But no one knew what magic went on there. The place was unplottable, which is why Lily could do underage magic. But back to the diary.

Lily flipped through the pages and read a few entries. (A/N: I'm going to leave out dates b/c dates suck.)

_Dear Diary,_

_I got my wand today! Daddy says he's glad I'll finally stop using his. It was so funny! Luscious asked me out. Again, funny. Just because I'm his Father's master's daughter, doesn't mean he—_

Lily flipped the page.

_Dear Diary,_

_First day of Hogwarts. Was sorted into Slytherin (Obviously­). The sorting hat declared me the moment I walked into the room! I think I sort of scared some people. Though no one knows who my father is, except the Slytherins. They—_

_Dear Diary,_

_Played another prank on the 'Marauders' today. James Potter is such an arrogant prat. Can you BELIEVE he actually thought I'd go to Hogsmeade with him!_

_Xoxo, Lils_

_Dear Diary,_

_Cissy and Luscious had a fight today. Let's just say Cissy can perform one hell of a bat-bogey curse… Must teach Luscious counter-charm._

_Xoxo, Lils_

_Dear Diary,_

_Am hearing voices. I swear to god. I don't know what the hell is going on. I'm going mad. That's all it is. I've finally cracked. I heard all I've never wanted to know about people. I'm imagining voices that sound like Severus commentating on Bella doing her Potions essay incorrectly, like that Playa kid thinking about Rell, like JAMES POTTER WONDERING WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE TO SNOG ME!_

_Xoxo, Lils_

_Dear Diary,_

_I need serious help. _

_Lils_

_Dear Diary,_

_Killed my first Muggle today. It was fantas—_

With a yelp, Lily slammed the book shut and cast it into the fire, not regretting in the least that she just destroyed a record of her entire life. She had _killed_! And _enjoyed _it! Why the HELL didn't she remember it? She started slightly hyperventilating. She heard a voice in her head.

_**God, Lily. Where are you? I can't believe how stupid I was. How could I have let this happen. It's all my fault. No matter what they say. I should have stopped you. I should have been there. What if… what if Remus was wrong? What if you're really gone forever and we're searching for nothing. But every time I ask myself this, I feel like it's not true. Like you're really alive and out there somewhere. Please let me find you. I'm nothing without you. I'm dying, and no one can see it but you. And you aren't here.**_

Lily shook her head. And now she was hearing voices. That felt like they belonged to someone. Who was talking to themself. Oh fabulous. She was so mad she was hearing voices that were so mad they were talking to themselves. Peachy.

Next Chappie:

"I'm sorry, boys, there's nothing we can do."

"James, let go."

"It's like a living death."

"I feel like I should know you."

"I'm not coming with you."

"She's dead."


	24. Living Death

Disclaimer: I've written stuff, but not multi-million dollar stuff.

A/N: Next chappie

_JANUARY 28 SIXTH YEAR_

"James," the Auror put his hand on the shoulder of the kneeling boy. James had his eyes shut tightly, knowing what he was about to be told. The man looked over at the desolate Remus and Sirius. "We can't take any more time to search for her. I'm sorry boys, there's nothing we can do."

James sprang up, his eyes blazing. "There _has_ to be something we're missing! He has her captive, and—"

"She's dead," said another, less kind Auror.

"_No_. I _refuse_ to accept that. You're letting Voldemort have her? Do you really want to be the Aurors who gave Voldemort a follower?"

"Don't say his name…"

"I. DON'T. GIVE. A. BLOODY. DAMN!"

"James," said a woman, kneeling beside the boy who had semi-collapsed. "Let go. I know you love her. But let go."

The boy looked up. "Love her? I don't _just_ love her. I live off of her. I live off of her like the flower lives off of the sun, like the trees live from the rain, like the moon lives off of the star."

Sirius and Remus looked at each other. The woman looked at them. "Right. But James, we have to go home."

"I'm not coming with you. Lily's alive. And I'm not stopping until she's safe again."

"James, you're going back home to Hogwarts. Now get ready for bed. We're leaving in the morning."

The three Marauders trudged back to their magical tent. Once inside, Remus clapped his hands together. James and Sirius looked at their friend. "Alright, then," said the Werewolf. "If they won't help us, we'll find it ourselves."

"Um, Remus? You forget we have absolutely no idea how to get there."

"No, we don't." Just then, the flames of the fireplace turned green and spat out three disheveled teenagers. "But _they_ do."

.xXx.

Lily woke up the next morning, trying to figure out why the atmosphere was sparking with electricity. Then she remembered. Today was _the _day. The day Voldemort's daughter became a Death Eater. 

A tall woman swept into the room and pulled the covers from Lily's silk-clad body. "Up. We must get you ready for tonight!"

Lily was bathed and dressed in fine black robes. The woman did up her hair in a tumble of glossy red curls. Lily's makeup made her green eyes stand out beautifully. Looking in the mirror, some memory was evoked in the locked room in the back of her mind where Voldemort's potions safely kept them. It struggled against the chains of the door, making them rattle. A shame that Lily shouldn't know that she was a near twin of herself the night of the Halloween ball. The night she fell in love. But the memory quieted, leaving only the slightly mournful feeling of a memory forgotten that shouldn't have been.

A hooded and cloaked Death Eater entered Lily's opened door. "The Dark Lord wishes us to escort you to the Christening Room," hissed a woman's voice. Lily turned to look for the woman who had done her hair, to find that she, too, was dressed in Death Eater garb. Lily nodded, and the two women took her elbows and led her through the halls.

.xXx.

"Here it is," said the boy, gesturing to the enormous castle before them.

"He lives _here_?" asked James.

"Yes," said a short girl. Her pale face glowed in the moonlight, offsetting her raven black hair.

"How did you know how to find this?"

"We're Death Eaters," said a second girl simply, shrugging, her gray eyes frank. "And we have to be here tonight anyway. The Dark Lord is making her his heir."

The Marauders stopped dead. "_Tonight?_"

"Yes," said the Death Eater boy. "Are you sure you guys want to do this?"

"My life without her… It's like a living death."

"Okay, then here's the plan."

.xXx.

When Lily's escorts brought her to the room, she gasped. The circular room was lined with torches and Death Eaters. There was a raised area in the center, where her father stood. The three women stopped at the open door. The Death Eaters bowed to the presence of the Dark Lord's daughter. Lily walked forward with her escorts. They stopped again at the base of the raised spot.

"We give you Lily, your daughter and heiress," said one woman.

"She has been shown the ways of your rule and has no objection," said the other.

"She embraces the ways of our kind and is loyal to you above the rest."

"Her heart knows pain, knows sorrow, knows death."

"And through it all she has remained steadfast."

Now Lily spoke. "I am you daughter beyond blood. I would give my life to serve you. The death of one may be necessary for our cause, and I flinch not at giving you that life. My own is yours and I devote it to you forever."

Now came the main ceremony. "Do you, Lily, accept your responsibilities as a Death Eater?"

"I do." Voldemort drew a line down her arm with his wand.

"And do you devote your life to be mine to command?"

"I do." Another line.

"Is your wand mine to defend my own?"

"It is." A small flick.

"Will you accept me as your master above all?"

"I will." She tried not to flinch as his wand traced her veins.

"Do you realize what a Death Eater is?"

"Yes." Her veins seared with magic.

"What is it?"

"To be a Death Eater is to be above the rest and recognize only the purest of blood." Her arm burned with bright light. The Death Eaters raised their wands and together created a Dark Mark above Lily and Voldemort.

"And so you join our ranks," Voldemort said quietly. "But what will happen should I fall?" Lily's wide eyes met Voldemort's own. There were hisses of anger through the crowd. Voldemort would never fall. But it was part of the Ceremony of Heirs.

"I should avenge your fall, my lord, with an anger that has yet to be seen by this world."

"And what of my Death Eaters?"

"I should take them as my own to command."

"And how shall you command?"

"As you would, father."

"Then if your answers remain true, I ask that you learn my command."

Lily stepped down and went to the first Death Eater. She would complete the circle around the room, asking loyalty of each witch and wizard there. No one noticed that six hooded figures joined the ring.

The redhead was nearing the middle of the round. She stopped before a Death Eater, a boy it seemed, though he was much taller than she. Instead of the normal "Your wand belonged to my father before me, and so it shall be mine. Is it so?" she said instead, "I feel like I should know you."

The cloaked figure seemed to stiffen. A rough, boyish voice asked, "Where do your own loyalties lie, Lily?" The voice was quiet, ensuring no one else heard.

Shocked, Lily hissed back, "To my father."

"Is he who you think he is, or have you yet been deceived?"

Lily was indignant. "Remove your mask so that I may see the face of insolence."

The voice smirked. The bloody _voice_ smirked. "And why would I do that?"

Lily recognized that smirking voice. But before she could do anything about it, a man raised his wand. "She is not of pure blood!" was the cry that silenced all.

Voldemort pulsated anger. To the women who brought Lily to the room, he whispered, "Take her to the Green Room on the third floor in the second wing. Now." Lily was ushered away, trying desperately to communicate that the traitor Sirius Black was in the room, and failing miserably.

The women whispered to each other as they carted Lily to the Green Room. Lily looked at her still-burning arm. There, permanent as death, was the Dark Mark.

.xXx.

The six hooded and masked teenagers left the room unseen. The Marauders looked at the raven haired girl, impressed. "Imperius curse, _really_. Didn't think you would actually do it," whispered Sirius.

"Lily's my friend, too," she said. "Now, I think he said the Green Room, that'll be third floor, second wing…"

.xXx.

The Green Room was… orange. Lily sat, rubbing her arm. She was a Death Eater.

Then, six Death Eaters burst into the room. Two raised their wands and shot Stunners at Lily's escorts. The redhead jumped up, wand out.

"Who the hell are you!"

The Death Eaters removed their masks to reveal six teenagers. James looked ready to die. Remus looked relieved. Sirius looked like he could jump up and down he was so happy. Shawn, Jay, and Trista looked like they knew they had signed their own death certificates by being there. All but James had their wands out, ready to disarm Lily if necessary.

"What are you doing here?" The Hogwarts students looked at each other.

"Um, rescuing you?" said Jay.

"Rescuing me? _Rescuing me_? From what?"

"From becoming a Death Eater…" said James.

"I don't know who you are, Potter, to come to _my_ home and stop _my_ ceremony, but you're too late anyway," Lily smirked and pushed back her sleeve, showing the skull and snake to all present.

Sirius turned to Jay, raising an eyebrow. The latter shrugged. "Not my fault."

"What are you all bloody doing here anyway?" she asked.

Shawn looked up at Lily. "You really don't know, do you?"

"Know what!"

"What's your middle name, Lily?" she asked.

"Well, I—"

"Your favorite color is?"

"It's—"

"What day of the week is it?"

"Um—" catching on, the others began questioning the confused redhead, not giving her time to answer.

"What year were you born?"

"Chocolate or vanilla?" asked Sirius. He was awarded with funny looks.

"What year of Hogwarts are you in?"

"How many boyfriends have you had?"

"How many OWLs did you get?"

"What class do you excel in?"

"What did you do last Christmas?"

"Who is your mother?"

"Who is _my_ mother?" again, Sirius.

"What's your favorite Quidditch team?"

"Why are you here?" and the questions stopped.

Panicked, Lily glanced around at the semi-circle of unyielding teens before her.

"You didn't know the answers to any of those questions, did you?" asked Shawn gently. Lily looked down, really, honestly, and truthfully panicked like a deer in the headlights. James pulled Shawn back a few steps.

"Why doesn't she remember what we mean to her? Or anything else, really?" his eyes were hectic and pleading. Lily looked the twin of herself the night they first kissed, and it was all he could do to keep from attacking her with his mouth right then and there.

Shawn shrugged helplessly. "He probably used a brainwashing potion and recreated a plausible past for her. Obviously he left out some details." Now it was really all James could do to keep from running out and ripping off Voldemort's head.

He stepped back over to Lily. "Lily, I know how this is going to sound, but—" The door burst open. "Rosier!" spat James. The boy's green eyes went wide at the sight of the infamous Marauders in Voldemort's castle. The surprise shifted to a smirk when he saw the three Death Eaters.

"Well, well, well, look at what we have here." Shawn, Trista, and Jay went whiter than death. Evan's eyes darted to Lily.

It happened so fast that it seemed slow motion. Evan reached for his wand as James pulled back his fist. At the same moment, Sirius, Remus, Jay, Shawn, and Trista shot stunners at Evan. And James's fist collided with air as Evan fell to the floor. Lily yelped in surprise. With a flash of light, Voldemort was standing in the door way.

No one in the room moved as the man's eyes flitted from one to another, memorizing the faces of the betraying Death Eaters. Six wands were shakingly pointed in his direction. "Well done."

"Lily," James's voice quavered. "I know this is going to seem mad, but please take my hand." Lily snorted.

"I hate you Potter. Why would I touch you?"

"Because you don't hate me," he said desperately. "Not really."

"No, I'm pretty sure I do." Voldemort watched with some amusement.

"Ask yourself Lily. Why didn't you know the answers to any of the questions we asked you earlier?"

"You asked stupid questions."

"Lily, you know better than that. Please just take my hand."

"Potter, really, what are you doing here?"

"You've already asked that," Sirius noted.

"Leave, Potter," said Voldemort.

"No," James told him fiercely. "Not without Lily."

"You cast her away, Potter, I just picked up the pieces."

James looked ashamed, angry, and heartbroken all at once. No one noticed the other Marauders and three erring Death Eaters slowly edging towards Lily.

"What's going on?" asked Lily, looking from her father to her enemy. James turned his beautiful hazel eyes away from Voldy and met her brilliantly green ones. Lily's heart stopped. His gaze was strong, passionate, protective, caring, devoted, loving, and sweet all at once. And she couldn't figure out for the life of her why Potter was looking at her like that.

In slow motion, almost, Voldemort looked between the two of them, and too late noticed the other five teenagers. Jay threw the bag over Lily's head, and before she could react, she was side-along apparated away. Voldemort was left standing in an empty room with three unconscious death eaters. Lily was gone; that much was obvious. Voldemort smirked. He wasn't worried. His magic burned in her veins, and his mark was upon her arm. She would be back. She would be back.

Next chappie:

"Just who the hell do you think you are?"

"She's gone."

"Search the castle!"

"It's the stars, you know."

"You're you." "Well I was the last time I checked…"

"It's as permanent as death." "Whoever said death was permanent?"

"I didn't mean to hurt anyone."


	25. I Always Did Love Quidditch

Disclaimer: I'm the first female president, too!

A/N: yeah, I know. Btw, thanks to all of my lovely reviewers! I got SO many reviews on the last chappie! I LOVE you guys! And to GMGs-4eva, I have a yahoo email account. My email is If you can, contact me on my AOL im at olosgniylf. It was great hearing from you all! Keep the reviews coming, and I'll keep with the chappies!

_JANUARY 28, 06 SIXTH YEAR_

The seven teenagers were dumped unceremoniously on the ground. James quickly regained his feet, but not as quickly as Lily. She was already standing, wand at the ready, a hex forming on the back of her tongue.

"Just who the hell do you think you are!" Her cheeks were angrily flushed, her eyes sparking dangerously. James would have thought her terribly striking if he wasn't preoccupied with the wand.

"Lily," he said softly, as if speaking to a frightened animal. "It isn't what you think. You aren't who you think. Voldemort isn't your father. Green is your favorite color. Your middle name is Ivy. You love chocolate. You're in sixth year. You've had more boyfriends than I care to count. Those voices you hear, it's because you can read minds. Please, you have to believe me."

"H-how did you know about the voices?" The wand wavered a bit.

"I taught you to control them, Lily. You had a handle on it. Then you Saw that Voldemort was planning on capturing you. Dumbledore sent you away. You lived in France for a year. Then you came back as Scar, a Gryffindor. We—" It was apparently too much for Lily's already overworked mind. The hex was half-way out of Lily's mouth before Dumbledore himself stunned her. He looked old and drawn.

"She's marked," Sirius said quietly.

"I know," Dumbledore said. Naturally, his students weren't surprised.

James carefully gathered the redhead in his arms, holding her close as he carried her the short distance to Hogwarts. Once there, he was forced to leave her in Madame Pomfrey Sr.'s care. Jay, Trista, and Shawn wordlessly slipped back to their Common Room. Dumbledore had to know that they were Death Eaters, but he chose to ignore it.

"Mr. Potter," he said. "My office please. Mr. Lupin, Mr. Black, you may return to your Common Room." James followed the Headmaster up to his office. "Lemon drop?" James miserably shook his head. Dumbledore watched him for a moment. "You know, James, we _will_ get her back. It may be a quick, easy ordeal, and it my take months. It all depends on how badly Lily wants to remember. She has to fight it."

James turned angry hazel eyes to the old man. "Why her, Headmaster? Why Lily? She'll never be the same. She's marked with Voldemort's magic, his brand burns in her skin, his magic floods her pure blood. Why her?"

"I can not tell you that, James. Perhaps Lily knows, and she will inform us when she remembers that she wants us to know. Meantime, catch up on your schoolwork." James raised his eyebrows, causing the Headmaster to chuckle. "Hovering over her won't help her heal." James's lips twitched in a mockery of a smile.

"Thank you Headmaster."

.xXx.

For four weeks, James hardly slept. He stopped by the hospital wing every day, on false errands. Lily could not know that it was her he went to see. For four weeks, the redhead sat, arms folded, staring at nothing. Perhaps she refused to accept her new environment, perhaps she was piecing together all that was missing.

It was a Quidditch accident. The first thing James saw when he woke up was her face. It wasn't the glowing, peaceful face he wanted—needed—to see, but a glowering, stubborn look.

"What are you doing here, Potter?" she spat. James's response was to groan and put his hands over his face.

"Where's Madam Pomfrey?"

"She's gone." Lily smirked.

"Funny, Evans."

Lily sighed. "I wasn't _trying_ to be funny, Potter."

"I know."

"Stop talking to me, Potter." He was silent. "Seriously, I hate you. Stop talking to me. It's not like you like me."

"Here's where I point out that hate is not the opposite of love. Indifference is. As long as you hate me, I know you still care."

"Why are you here?"

He flashed her a brilliant grin. "Well, I was rather caught up in the madness of the game, and wasn't paying much attention to other players. I saw the Quaffle… and not the person carrying it."

"Collision?"

"Carried me straight through one of those hoops. Unfortunately my broom caught an edge, and, well…"

"Ow."

"Tell that to my broken leg." James didn't point out that Lily was on friendly terms with him.

"I wish my father would let me play Quidditch. It looks like so much fun." James's breath caught in his throat, causing him to half-choke. Voldemort told Lily she had never played Quidditch? The mere thought was insanity!

"I could teach you, you know," he blurted. "You look like you'd be a great keeper."

Lily seemed to snap back to reality, looking at James with disgust. "I hate you, Potter," she repeated. "Stop talking to me." James fought the intense urge to bang his head against something very solid.

For a week, James faked pain, keeping himself in the hospital. Lily, despite herself, couldn't refuse the companionship. She became almost comfortable with James. One night he even brought up her Dark Mark.

"It doesn't have to be like this, Evans," he said. "You could live a normal life."

"It's as permanent as death, Potter," she reminded him.

"Whoever said death was permanent?"

Lily sighed. "Look at it this way. You're you."

"Well I was the last time I checked."

"You're an arrogant, spoiled, attention-seeking prat." James, about to deny such charges, closed his mouth, seeing that he was getting somewhere with the redhead. "Would you be able to give all that up on a whim? Become someone like Severus, for example?"

"No!"

"Exactly," she said flatly. "Despite what you think of me, I am, at the end of it all, Slytherin Princess. You say I'm a Gryffindor. You say I like you. You say Voldemort isn't really my father. But that is all I have ever known. Do you expect me to change my personality—my identity—because some arrogant Gryffindor tells me to?"

"You don't understand! That _isn't_ who you are!"

"Even if it wasn't, it's what I know!" she yelled.

"But it wasn't always what you knew!"

"But it's all I know now!"

"But it's not all _I_ know!"

"But it's _my_ life!"

"But I'm a part of that life!"

"No! You're not, Potter! You've always just been an annoyance! I hate you, and I've always hated you! Now leave me alone! Seriously, I HATE you!"

James quietly schooled his features. "If that's what the Princess commands." He made the word _command_ sound like a curse. He climbed out of bed and stood shakily—his leg _was_ still sore—and bowed in a mocking way.

Back in the Marauders' dorm, James found Sirius and Remus. They both looked up as their friend entered. They clearly saw defeat and pain written on the sixth year's face. Sirius didn't say it. It would have killed James. But the hazel eyed boy knew what his friend was thinking. _It's all your fault. You pushed her away. You made her vulnerable to Him. You wrecked her life._

"I didn't mean to hurt anyone," James whispered.

But Sirius, for all his loyalty, could not bring himself to comfort his friend as Remus did. It may not be _entirely_ James's fault, but at the moment? It sure seemed like it.

A/N: Yeah, I know. It was short, but come on, I posted like two days ago! In other words? It's spring break, and I have nothing to do. So I'm sneaking on to FF to post chapters when my mum's not around. Yeah. Don't tell. Or I won't be able to post at ALL. And you wouldn't want that, would you?


	26. Silver Platter

Disclaimer: Really, I'm flattered, but Siriusly…

A/N: Hey it's me! Duh. But, really, I'm LOVING the support! Now for some blatant self promotion.

I am Up to No Good: COME ON! It needs reviews too! I luff this one! Written from the standpoint of Aliep (my female Marauder), from first year to L and J's death and whatnot. I'm not done, yet, but PLEASE read it! Even if you don't like it! No one reads it, and it's driving me nutty! And if you read it, REVIEW! Please? I love all of you guys, and as soon as summer comes around, I'm going down the list of all my reviewers and reviewing all their stories. I promise! So please? 

Marauders' Notations: It's just a wacky short story with the Marauders at Hogwarts. Remus gets stuck under a table with his fanclub, Sirius and Lily end up hiding from an evil mutant bunny together in a cupboard, and Harry winds up in the wrong era. It's quick and funny ,and it has like TWO REVIEWS.

Ps… if you've read AND REVIEWED either aforementioned story, I LOVE YOU! LUFF LUFF LUFF!

_JANUARY 28, 06 SIXTH YEAR_

In the dead of the night, when Madam Pomfrey Sr.'s snores could be faintly heard from her office, the redhead slipped out of bed. She winced slightly as her bare feet came in contact with the icy floor of the Hospital wing. She was alone, so she changed into the now clean clothes she had come from Voldemort's castle in. The girl slipped on shoes, and with a wave of her wand, opened the hospital windows. It took a single backward glance before she knew what she was doing was right. She had to get away from the insanity of this place. Bloody Potter.

.xXx.

It was Sirius who discovered Lily missing, on an early-morning adventure to the hospital wing. The old patron wasn't even awake yet. When he saw the empty bed, he knew what had happened. He didn't need to check the lavatory or whatnot. He knew Lily had gone back to the man she saw as her father.

"MADAM POMFREY!"

.xXx.

Voldemort, perhaps, was the only person not worried about Lily. He knew she would be back. So when he heard the sound of timid feet swish-swish-swishing into his room, he wasn't surprised when he looked up and found the pretty redhead standing before him.

"Father," she sad, bowing deeply.

"How did you find your way back here, daughter?"

"It's the stars, you know."

"Of course, my flower. Now, let's get you presentable, shall we? We have a ceremony to finish."

.xXx.

Dumbledore looked Lily's empty bed over with tired eyes.

"She's gone," he confirmed.

"What are we going to do?" asked a frantic James, eyes wide and hectic.

"Search the castle!" Sirius suggested.

Wearily, the old man shook his head. "She's gone back to Voldemort. There's no saving her now."

"I didn't mean to hurt anyone," James whispered, sinking to his knees.

"This is not your fault, James. Voldemort is no one's fault." James didn't pay attention.

.xXx.

Trista, Shawn, and Jay were quietly enjoying mugs of Butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks when the room quite literally exploded. Above the screams and shouts, through the smoke and falling debris, they saw, felt, Voldemort advancing on them. Cornered like wild game, they were trapped.

.xXx.

Screaming, sobbing students burst into Hogwarts castle. Teachers collected from their jibberish speaking that Hogsmeade had been attacked. Aurors were there now. It was Voldemort himself, they said. Three students had been killed. When asked who, they only said through trembling lips, that it was three sixth year Slytherins: two girls and a boy.

.xXx.

Lily, now full heiress and Death Eater, went to sleep content those nights. Her father said he had killed the three traitors who had taken her away from him. He said everything would be okay. He said nothing could touch them now.

In the day, she studied the arts of being a Death Eater. The evenings she spent with her father, just talking. He was an immensely intelligent man, and she greatly respected him.

As far as Lily could tell, her life was perfect. She had no worries, no cares. All she had to do was what she was told. She was praised by her tutors, cherished by her father, and nearly worshipped by just about everyone else. She lived in the lap of luxury and had everything handed to her on a silver platter. Sometimes quite literally.

What could go wrong?

A/N: sorry it was short. But I'm on a roll here! Third chappie I've posted in like two days! Come on, you love me!


	27. AUTHORESS NOTE

**Hey folks! This is your most _favorite_ authoress! I know, ur pissed 'cos this isn't a real chappie, but I needed to celebrate my ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF POSTING ON FAN FICTION! PARTAY! **

**Yes. Today, one year ago, I posted the first chappie of Because of What?. But I didn't have another chappie of anything else ready, so u get a retarded A/N. WITH NO DISCLAMER 'COS THIS SHIT IS MINE! **

**Luv to all of my reviewers!**

**Sam**


	28. A Potion, Perhaps?

Disclaimer: I keep telling myself I'm a famous author, but self esteem only takes you so far…

A/N: This is for Rachel, who's going to kick my butt for procrastinating, 'cos I told her I'd have it in like a looooooooong time ago. Sorries!

_JANUARY 31, 06 SIXTH YEAR _(heehee, just realized I haven't changed the date in forever!)

Voldemort smiled. Actually smiled. He didn't _smirk_, his lips didn't simply _twitch_, he _smiled _(A/N: Yeah, Voldemort smiled. Suck it up). As would anyone whose evil plot turned out the way he wanted. Lily was the perfect heiress—the reason he sought her out, risked exposure to catch her. She was brilliant—much like himself—she was powerful, a leader, quick-witted. And a Slytherin to boot.

The only thing that had Voldemort worried was the Potter boy. He was persistent, that one. Perhaps he would be cowed by the fact that his little Slytherin friends had been done-in. Perhaps not. Voldemort's smile faded, replaced by an unattractive grimace. Potter.

_If anyone ever annoyed me, it would be the Potter boy_, Voldemort thought. The more Voldemort thought, the more he realized that Potter had to be taken out. His presence was dangerous to the Dark Lord's plans. If Potter snuck back into the castle and tried his hand at winning over Lily… he just might succeed. Then all would be lost.

The very redhead of Voldemort's thoughts hovered in his doorway. She was dressed in green robes of a thin, floaty, green satin. They moved like water as she walked, coming to kneel before her father.

"Child," he said gently. Lily lifted her face to the man, and he cupped her chin in his hand. "You are my only daughter." He paused for a moment, thinking over what he was about to ask of her.

"Father, whatever you wish, it will be done," she insisted.

"It is not an easy task, Daughter. It requires sly and cunning, which I know you have. Most importantly, however: _you can not get caught_._"_

"What is it, Father?" she entreated.

"I want you to go back to Hogwarts…"

"And?"

"And kill Potter." Lily paused for a moment, thinking the task over. "Carefully."

"A potion?" she asked. Voldemort smiled.

"Of course."

"I'll leave in one week," she said firmly, standing and exiting the room. Voldemort looked after her. She was so perfect for the task. Silly of Dumbledore to think that he could change the heir of Voldemort. His honest-to-god daughter.

A/N: Who saw that coming? Everyone who saw it say aye. Everyone opposed say nay. Thank you. Good night.

Luv much,

Sam


	29. What a Shocker!

Disclaimer: Harry Potter isn't _my_ bout of genius. That credit goes to Jo.

A/N: Wow, I haven't posted in a whiiiiiiiiiiiile. Over a hundred reviews! I love you guys!

_FEBRUARY 8 SIXTH YEAR _

Dumbledore stared, shocked, at the slight redhead who stood in his office. The girl's sharp chin was lifted rebelliously, as if she dared him to refuse her. Her trunk was at her feet, her owl cage resting on Dumbledore's desk.

"You want to come back. As Lily. To Hogwarts."

"Yes. And you won't even need to sort me, because Lily Evans was… _is_… a Slytherin."

"But you don't remember anything."

"I'm trying." Lily tried to look sincere, and succeeded rather well.

"All right. The students will be at dinner in the Great Hall right now. I will have your things sent up to your room."

"Thank you, Headmaster." As Lily left the room, she smirked… evilly.

.xXx.

"But I told Minnie…" Sirius Black trailed off, shocking the group surrounding him. Sirius never missed a chance to brag to pretty girls. And that jaw-hanging-open expression was still attractive, but it wasn't his usual sexy smile.

Remus and Peter, aware of their friend's malfunction, looked to see what had rendered their Padfoot speechless. Soon the entire Hall quieted.

"Where's James?" Remus whispered to Sirius.

"In the dorm. Pouting," Sirius replied, equally as quiet.

"Let's go see him, shall we? He'll need to hear this before he sees it."

"It wouldn't compliment his image to faint in front of the entire student body," Sirius agreed.

.xXx.

James hardly glanced up as his friends opened the door and quietly filed inside.

"Er, James?" That was Sirius, looking unusually pale. James did look up then, to study his friends. Remus, too, was pale, and that was strange, as the full moon wasn't anywhere near… Both boys' eyes were wild and wide, as if they had just seen their own ghosts.

"What?" James asked, worried by his friends' silence.

"Um," Remus stumbled on his words. "What would make you sickeningly happy right now?"

"I don't want to talk about Lily," James growled, glaring at the other Marauders.

"Somehow I don't think he'll be able to avoid it," Sirius muttered to Remus.

"But—" Peter piped up. Sirius stepped on his foot to quiet him.

"James, we have to tell you…" Remus tried again.

"Lily's back," Sirius said softly, trying not to startle his friend.

James went deadly still. "She doesn't remember," Remus hurried on. "But she came back."

Very slowly and deliberately, James stood. He walked past his friends, picked up his broom, and exited the dorm.

"Do you think he heard us?" Peter wanted to know.

"You know, Pete, I think he heard us all too well," Sirius told the boy, placing a brotherly hand on his shoulder.

"All too well," Remus echoed.

.xXx.

James didn't think. He didn't want to. He just did what seemed most logical at the time. He headed to the one place where he had known Lily to be truly happy. The Quidditch Pitch.

.xXx.

Lily awoke, gasping, sweating, stifling sobs. She hated those dreams. The ones that forced her to relive every blow dealt to her by a faceless man. But that wasn't what had torn her from her slumber. It was the black-haired boy no older than herself who was tied to the tombstone, looking helplessly between his companion's body and the red-eyed figure in front of him. It was the familiarity yet strangeness of the boy.

She pulled on her school robe over her pajamas, snapped her fingers, and headed for the one place that made sense at the time. She ran for the one person who might know the answers.

.xXx.

The quiet sniffling was what awoke James as someone pulled back his bed hangings in the middle of the night. He sat up to find none other than _Lily Evans_ looking at him through tear-filled eyes.

"_Lily?"_ he could hardly believe it.

Lily was awkwardly quiet for a moment. "Look, I still don't believe you, okay? It's just…"

"What was the dream about?" only one thing could upset the Immovable Lily Evans.

Lily sat down on the edge of James' bed. "I Saw your son," she whispered.

"You _what?"_ he sputtered.

"There was this boy, a little younger than us. He was the exact image of you, James. Except for the eyes. Were it not for his eyes, I might've mistaken him for you."

"Tell me exactly what happened."

Lily carefully related the dream, from the time the two attractive boys tumbled into the courtyard to the part where the raven-haired one raised his wand against the red-eyed figure. That's when she had woken up.

"Why, Potter?" Lily asked.

"Why what?" James asked, startled. He had been pondering her non-dream.

"Why is it that I knew I had to come to you? I _hate_ you! You're a Gryffindor, and yet, I felt as if I could come only to you. Why?"

James closed his eyes for a moment. "Let's talk about this later. Hogsmeade, perhaps. Tomorrow?"

Lily thought about refusing. However, it would be the perfect chance to follow through on her father's wishes. She smiled slightly. "Only if you promise to tell me."

"I promise."

With that, Lily stood and left. James' eyes followed her out. A slight frown was on his face. Lily was up to something, that much he knew. She may have fooled the rest of Hogwarts, but she hadn't fooled James Potter. They say love is blind, yet still he saw through her masquerade… this time, anyway. She hadn't fooled the Gryffindor Prince, after all. It was the Slytherin Princess's turn to be shocked.

A/N: Things are about to get good! Hang on tight, and keep all hands and feet inside the vehicle, because it's going to be a bumpy ride!


	30. Hogsmeade

Disclaimer: It's a bird! It's a plane! Its—NOT JK ROWLING!

A/N: Yes. I am posting. Wow.

_FEBRUARY 9 SIXTH YEAR _

James knew Lily was up to something, but that didn't stop him from trying to tame his hair or pick out an attractive outfit. Maybe, just maybe, he could get _his_ Lily back before Voldemort's Lily became permanent.

.xXx.

Once Lily had picked out the perfect outfit and had arranged her hair to her satisfaction, she contemplated what to do with the small vial of potion. Where to hide it? Finally she slipped it into the side of her bra. (yes, her bra) Potter was in for a surprise, all right.

.xXx.

James stood in front of Hogwarts, anxiously awaiting Lily. He was dressed in black slacks and a soft button up emerald green shirt that brought out the green in his hazel eyes. His heart nearly stopped when he saw Lily.

The redhead was beautiful in an attractive emerald blouse and a flattering black skirt. She smiled ironically at James: they matched.

"A Gryffindor wearing green?" she asked as she approached.

"Only for you, Lily," he told her as he held the carriage door open for her.

.xXx.

For hours, Lily and James talked and laughed, walking the streets of Hogsmeade. James began to doubt that Lily had ulterior motives at all. Lily began to doubt that her ulterior motives were true at all.

Eventually, they settled down at the Three Broomsticks. James bought them both Butterbeers, making Lily blush and smile.

"You really don't remember anything, do you?" James asked, bright eyes searching hers.

Lily looked down. He was so adamant that she had once lived another life. "No," she said quietly.

James looked away, and saw the Marauders. "I'll be right back," he said, getting up to go say hello to his friends.

Lily hesitated. She might not get another chance. Inconspicuously, she took the vial and poured its contents into James' mug. Voldemort's daughter took a deep breath. This was it.

James returned, smiling. He studied Lily for a moment.

"You'll never give up, will you, James?" she asked curiously. "You'll never stop being save-the-world Potter?"

"A person can't change who they are."

"Exactly," Lily said flatly.

"But someone else can change them," he continued, still studying those emerald eyes.

"What are you talking about?" Lily wanted to know.

"I may still be save-the-world Potter, Miss Evans, but you did change me, even if you don't remember it. Once upon a time, I was a much different person. You made me who I am now. And now that you don't remember it? Your indifference has nearly killed me on a dozen occasions.

Where does it stop, Lily? Where is the part where you let me be the one you depend on? Dumbledore said that you'd remember who you were when you wanted to. You don't want to remember. Wanna know why? It's because you're afraid. You're afraid because you felt something for me. If you'd accept it… you could stop living in the Dark."

Lily looked at James blankly. What was he talking about? Could he be right, could she really have once lived another life? Then she realized that he was raising his mug to his lips for a drink. But what if he was right? He was about to die. She was about to kill him. And he seemed to be the only one who was convinced that she wasn't who she thought she was. He could be the key to the past she might have really lived. And he was about to die. Why didn't she want him to die? He was the only one opposing her father's hold on her, his daughter. What was this? The mug was almost to his lips.

"No!" Lily shouted, throwing herself at the raven-haired boy. She knocked him out of his chair, the poisoned Butterbeer flying from his hands. The two teenagers landed on the ground together. People stared.

James looked at Lily with a shocked expression. There was something else, there in his eyes. Lily caught onto it and held on. It was more than burning passion. It was more than concern for her. It was more than the wisdom of a thousand lifetimes. It was love.

"Wha—" James' voice was cut off by a pair of lips. Lily frantically kissed him, tears falling down her cheeks. James kissed her back, just as frantic, gently wiping her tears away with his thumbs. Lily pulled away and pressed her face against James' chest, sobbing as she realized everything that she had done. Everything that Voldemort had had her do. Everything that James had gone through for her. James' response was to hold her tightly, comfortingly. He picked her up and sat in their booth, softly stroking her shining hair.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered as she calmed down. "I didn't—" Lily paused, gulping down another sob. "I love you."

James kissed the top of her head. "I love you too, Lily Evans."

A/N: Everyone say it now: Awwwwwwwwwwwww! About time, huh? Yeah, well, I had to make ya'll squirm for a while. Wanna know something sad? One more chapter to go. :shakes head: I can't believe it. This fic is my absolute favorite, and it's nearly over. Okay, this note has to end before I burst into tears.

Until the End,

Sam


	31. The End

Disclaimer: As if I would have let Harry be an orphan!

A/N: This is it!

_Dateless ETERNITY _

Lily kneeled in front of the graves, tears squeezing out from underneath tightly shut eyelids. Trista, Shawn, Jay. They had given their lives to rescue her. She had once been happy for their deaths. It was all so confusing. They were her closest friends.

Jay, who knew her so well. He had always had a crush on Trista. It seemed he'd never get around to asking her out now.

Trista, who was so intelligent. She always knew when Lily was up to something. She had had so many plans for the future.

Shawn, who was always ready to give someone a laugh. Who truly adored Sirius far more than any of his worshippers ever could. Those two had truly had something special.

Lily laid a black lily on each of the graves, giving a tiny smile. Black lilies. They had once given the Marauders cause to fear.

A comforting hand squeezed Lily's shoulder. She looked up into James' eyes. He pulled her to her feet and wrapped his arms around her.

"I'm sorry," he murmured into her hair.

.xXx.

"James, this is ridiculous," Lily said. "We're going to get busted big time."

"We're Head students. No one's going to catch us," James told her as he led her out onto the star-drenched Astronomy Tower. Lily had to smile at the beauty of it all. "May I have this dance?" James asked with a bow.

Lily gave him her hand, and he pulled her close to his body, leading her into a slow dance. Back and forth, back and forth, they rocked. "The year's nearly over," Lily noted.

"Yes."

"We'll graduate soon."

"… yes."

Lily looked up into James' face. "If you don't eventually ask me to marry you, I _will_ kill you," she said, scowling a little.

James made a face. "Beat me to the punch, why don't you?" He shook his head and produced a velvet box from his pocket.

Lily's emerald eyes grew as wide as saucers. When she said 'eventually', that's what she meant. Eventually. James kneeled in front of her. "Lily Ivy Evans, I have been in love with you for as long as I can remember. We've had plenty of battles, and I have no doubt that we will have plenty more. You make my life hell, love. But life without you? I don't have to wonder what that's like, because I've been there, done that. It nearly killed me. So please, please, make me the happiest wizard alive. Please marry me."

"As if I could live without you!"

James slipped the ring on her finger and stood to kiss her. "So I take it I get to live now?"

Lily kissed him hotly in response.

Later as they walked into the Common Room together, Lily shouted, "Oi, Remus!"

She heard the sleepy response from upstairs, "What?"

"Will you walk me down the aisle?"

The inhabitants of the Gryffindor tower nearly woke the entire castle. **"WHAT!"**

.xXx.

Voldemort was in a dilemma. The prophecy… that damn prophecy. His daughter's son. How could he kill them? Potter… somehow he had kept Lily from giving him the potion. Somehow… Now he had to deal with the prophecy. Voldemort's eyes hardened. Blood only went so far.

.xXx.

Five lives were wrecked that night.

**Remus Lupin**, the backbone of the Marauders, the one who kept them together. The werewolf whose friends kept him alive. He was the smart one, the planner, the prefect, but he still needed his mischievous friends. Peter, gone. James, dead. Sirius, imprisoned. The Marauders had fallen apart.

**Sirius Black**, Hogwarts' Hottie, Gryffindor's prankster. The Marauder without a conscience, the player whose smile swept girls off their feet. He never totally recovered from Shawn's death. It really had been different with her, no matter what others said. Now he was sentenced to Azkaban an innocent man.

**Harry Potter**, who was to be the Boy Who Lived, the youngest Seeker in a century. The one who countless times overcame Voldemort. What boy wouldn't crave such a life? Harry Potter himself. For all of these challenges, he must face alone. Because Voldemort killed his parents.

**James Potter**, Quidditch player extraordinare, the cunning Marauder who kept Sirius on his feet and Remus still smiling. Smart enough to be named Head Boy, it seems. Totally in love with Lily Evans… -Potter. The young father whose life was personally taken by Voldemort himself. Voldemort could have left him alive, but James Potter was the one who had taken Voldemort's daughter from him. It was a grudge murder.

**Lily Evans**, the smartest witch in her year. Lily went by many names: Slytherin, Gryffindor, Keeper, Head Girl, Lily, Scarlet, Scar, Voldemort's daughter. Which one was right? One person could know her true name, and that person was James Potter, the love of Lily's life. Life without him wasn't worth living. Voldemort took his daughter's life that night, though Lily knew how much it hurt him to do so. But at the end of it all, Voldemort murdered Lily Evans. That damn, evil, Slytherin Beauty.

A/N: Can I cry now? It's over! I can't believe it! Thirty chapters exactly, if you don't count the Authoress' note. Wanna know where I wrote the first ten? Laying on a beach in the Caribbean. About a year ago. This story has changed so much since then, it's hard to believe. It's been a fabulous journey, all of you, and I enjoyed making it with you.

**Special Thanks to:**

_Clueless Bystander:_ El, thanx for supporting me through this whole thing! What are best friends for, anyway? Lol. Hand me that tissue box, will you?

_Pupparoux_: Yes, you get a thank you! You've been a fabulous reviewer, and I've gotten tons of feedback from you. Thanks! Ps—post on that fic!

_Volleyballgirl:_ Rachel, thanks for inspiring who-knows-how-many chapters! And yes, I still believe she's going to kill off Ginny. Or perhaps Percy. I never liked Percy. Ooh, maybe she'll kill Cho 'cos she doesn't think Cho has gone through enough heart ache as it is!

_And ALL of my other faithful reviewers over the chapters_: I thank you SO much! All of your reviews kept me smiling and laughing over the months. If you have a story you'd like me to read, contact me! My email's on my profile, I think. If not, it's .

Happy Trails!

Keep a Sharp Eye and a Sharper Sword,

Sam


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